


31 Days of Breath of the Wild

by Ebony_McCloud



Category: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Video Game), The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Age of Calamity, Challenge fic, Multi, Only mostly Lipha brain rot, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Probably going to be mostly fluff, friendship building
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:54:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 34,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28762914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ebony_McCloud/pseuds/Ebony_McCloud
Summary: A one-shot a day, for 31 days. I really have no other specifics for you.
Comments: 238
Kudos: 85





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, like the summary said, a one-shot a day for 31 days. Other than that, I have no idea how this is gonna play out (other than the two or three ships I refuse to entertain). Now, if you haven't figured out by now that this is probably gonna be, like, 85% Lipha brainrot, I really don't know what to tell you. You either don't know me or have too much faith in my ability to escape Lipha hell. Anyway, aside from that, this is gonna be pretty mysterious. There may be OWaP one-shots, RevaLink fluff, successor stuff, Champion shenanigans (cause nobody had enough of those after 300k in Era), blah blah blah. Honestly, I have no idea what's gonna happen, but let's have fun with it.
> 
> And before you ask if there's a point, yes there is. That's for me to know and you to potentially figure out with your big, beautiful brain.

"You know, sometimes I can't help but wonder what life might have been like had the Great Calamity not occurred," Sidon sighed as he watched Link prepare a swing.

The Hylian stopped just before following through. He relaxed, setting the head of the hammer down on the ground as he turned to face the Zora Prince head-on.

"Would you have married my sister? Would we be proper brothers? Would I have grown alongside nieces and nephews?" He asked wistfully.

As always, Link remained silent, though Sidon could see the Champion pondering the questions just as he did. The Hylian didn't even seem to notice as the Guardian part he'd been swinging at jumped slightly, signaling the end of the Stasis Rune's effect on it.

"Ah, my apologies. I did not intend to bring the mood down."

Link waved off the apology, as forgiving as ever. The Hylian Champion, who had more right to walk around embittered than anyone else Sidon had ever meant, had a habit of shrugging off most offenses. Even when he did grow angry, he was quick to put the comment or action in the past and move on. It was an admirable quality and one he believed that many of his people could learn from (himself included).

The Hylian, already moving on, motioned for Sidon to use Stasis once again. The Zora Prince compiled, watching absently as Link took his swing then stepped back, waiting patiently for the Rune's effect to end. The Zora Prince watched the young man thoughtfully as he considered everything he had observed in the months since he had moved into the Domain. Every day, bright and early, the Hylian would rise, cook a simple breakfast, then polish the weapons that had belonged to his fellow Champions before their fall. Then, he would don the Zora armor her sister had created just for him and would go about earning his keep in the Domain, whether that was helping with the constant repairs needed to keep the city looking nice, gathering supplies, or whatever odds and ends he could help with.

Would that have been what he did if he'd had the chance to marry his sister? Unfortunately, there was no real way to know. Regardless, he still considered the Hylian to be his brother. After everything he had done for them, it was odd to him to consider Link as anything else.

With no warning, the object was flung itself off the edge of the cliff they stood on in Upland Zorana and sailing into the Akkala region. "A marvelous swing!" Sidon cried as it became little more than a dot in the landscape below.

Link grinned before setting another Guardian piece on the ground and trading Sidon the hammer for the Slate. Sidon squared off, giving himself a bit of shake to help loosen up. As soon as the Hylian Champion used Stasis, Sidon swung the hammer and grimaced. Link, as short as he was, made the Goron tool look rather right. Even with the extra leverage that his height provided him, the prince was unable to handle the hammer with anywhere near as much grace as Link. As such, he had misjudged his swing and already knew that it was far from his best.

He sighed as the time-warping spell broke, sending the spherical contraption bouncing down the mountainside. He looked back, noticing a small smile accompanied by a thumbs up from Link. Bazz and Gaddison, the two guards he had chosen to attend him on their outing, gave him a conciliatory wince.

"You make it look incredibly easy."

Link took the hammer, eyeing it thoughtfully before shrugging. Turning toward the two guards, he motioned for Bazz to take the hammer.

The Zora Captain looked between the Zora Prince and Hylian Champion uncertainly. Even a grin from Sidon wasn't enough to convince him to step forward.

"I'll take a shot." Gaddison stepped forward, a fire shining in her bright, golden eyes. She took the Goron tool, struggling as Sidon had to heft the metal hammer. Really, if she were a foot or so taller, she would have been able to handle it better than even Link could manage. Even so, the size and weight weren't a deterrent to the Heroine of the Bazz Brigade as no sooner had the object been frozen in time, she unleashed the mightiest swing she could manage. The lilac-scaled Zora nearly toppled over as the hammer continued well over her head.

Before she could recover, Link charged forward, tackling the guard to the ground. The hammer fell where her head had been a moment prior. Link pushed himself up, motioning for Sidon and Bazz to back away. Though he didn't understand the Hylian's concerns, Sidon backed up, ensuring that Bazz followed suit.

When the stasis ended, the Guardian part spun out of control, somehow flying toward the direction the blow had come from. The large gear bounced off the ground, not losing speed as it raced toward the other end of Upland Zorana. Thankfully, even if it did fall towards the Domain, it would be in a relatively untraveled section.

Now he understood why Link had been so picky when choosing the location.

"Are you both all right?" Sidon asked.

"Y-yep," Gaddison replied, voice shaky after the last few seconds. She and Link both climbed to their feet, dusting themselves off before the Hylian picked up the hammer.

With a grin, he held it out toward Bazz.

"I think I'll pass," the captain replied with a nervous chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Are you certain?" Sidon asked. "I know what just happened was dangerous; however, I think there is nothing to fear with Link here."

"I'll be taking another crack at it," Gaddison added as though that would change her superior's mind.

Bazz wore a conflicted frown for a moment before finally nodding to himself. "I suppose one try wouldn't hurt." Everyone gave a quiet cheer before quickly setting up for Bazz's shot. With a boldness that belied his nerves a few seconds prior, the captain took hold of the hammer, lined up his shot almost identically to Link, and swung with surprising grace.

"That was splendid!" Sidon could barely contain his excitement. "You are a natural!"

"Not really," Bazz replied with a shrug. "I just got so used to watching and imitating Link that I kinda do it by default.

"Is that why you've been so quiet lately?" Gaddison asked as she elbowed him.

"N-no! I've just had very little to say lately."

"Sure…"

Sidon laughed, continuing to watch the banter as Link stood silently by, a small, nostalgic smile lighting up his face. The small exchange only continued a moment longer before Gaddison reminded them all of why they were there in the first place. Ever the one for competition, she challenged them all to see who could hit the farthest. Of course, she was the only one taking the game seriously but Sidon couldn't help but be entertained as, for once, he was able to put his royal duties to the side and enjoy a simple moment with a few close, childhood friends.


	2. Day 2

“Did you hear something?”

Link grinned silently in response.

“Oh, it must have been my imagination.” Mipha had to fight to maintain a neutral expression as she noticed a flash of golden scales beneath her bed. “How do you suppose our dear daughters are? We haven’t seen them all day, after all.”

Her husband grinned playfully as she sat down next to him. 

“Perhaps we should go visit them in their rooms,” she suggested a little louder than was necessary.

She and Link had to cover their mouths as they heard a muffled gasp. Really, the two lacked anything resembling subtlety. Alolu had her moments but Leru…

“There is one thing I would like to take care of before that.”

Waiting to make sure Link understood her intent, Mipha leaned down, holding her tailfin up as she looked underneath the bed. Two pairs of eyes, one bright blue, and the other liquid gold peered back at her.

“Hi,” Link said from beside her.

“Hi, daddy.”

Reaching down, Mipha took a hold of Alolu and pulled from underneath the mattress, setting the young Zora on her lap. Link had done the same with Leru, setting the golden-scaled child carefully on his lap, being sure to avoid her spines. It could be incredibly difficult for many of her friends and relatives to embrace her, as her fins fanned out much like her father’s and tapered out into spines in many places. Thankfully, though, most of them didn’t inject venom into the bodies of those they pierced, making them relatively harmless. It also made it easier after they had learned how to adjust her diet to reduce her venom production, which helped to solve the majority of the issue. Even so, the two took great care whenever they moved her around.

It wasn’t just that they were concerned about their youngest child’s venomous barbs as Link had built up quite a resistance to it (he had always made time to play with her, even after the first few accidental stings had kept him in bed for days). Really, their main worry was that little Leru would grow up afraid to interact with anyone. So, both of them had taken great pains to teach her how to be careful and mindful of the spines that tipped her fins while also trying not to damage her self-image. It was an incredibly difficult balancing act but Leru, quiet just like her father, was able to laugh and play with others just fine so far as they could tell.

Sometimes, the child even sang quietly to herself, though she only did so when she thought no one was around. It wasn’t unusual for the young mother to consider reaching out to Kass and Medli to see if they would help hone her talent. She did have a lovely voice after all.

“So, what exactly were you two planning?” Mipha asked as she reached over, gently pulling Leru’s fins aside to check that her spines hadn’t punctured Link. As far as she could see, they had not.

“We wanted to surprise you,” Alolu explained, sounding almost annoyed.

“Sorry, Lolu,” Leru mumbled, stroking her fan-like fins meekly.

“It’s okay,” the eldest replied, reaching over to pat her sister. “You didn’t mean to.”

“So, what was this surprise?” Mipha asked, trying to help the two salvage what was left of their scheme.

“We caught stealthfins!” Alolu jumped out of her mother’s lap and scrambled beneath the bed. “Don’t be mad. We were with Gaddison the whole time!” Alolu’s voice was slightly muffled by the mattress as well as by the sounds of her shuffling around with something. After a moment, one of Link’s rucksacks appeared from beneath the bed as the child popped back out. Link reached down, picking the sack up as Alolu climbed back into her mother’s lap.

Reaching into the bag, which Link had set between himself and Mipha, Alolu pulled out a few of the trouts they had claimed as their prize. “See?” she asked proudly as she held them up for her parents to see.

The child’s pride wasn’t unwarranted. Stealthfins were notoriously difficult to find, let alone catch. While they were pretty average in flavor, the challenge they presented when it came to hunting them made them an often sought after commodity. 

“Leru caught some too!”

“Good job.” Both girls glowed at their father’s short but sincere praise.

Link took a fish, eyeing it as he always did when selecting ingredients to use. Nodding to himself, he stood, still holding onto Leru as he crossed into the adjoining room, which he had turned into a kitchen.

“Would you like to join them?”

Alolu nodded, flashing her a grin that was very much like her uncle’s. Leaping off Mipha’s lap, Alolu sprinted into the next room, leaving the mother to smile after her fondly. Standing up, she followed after her family, looking forward to whatever concoction her three chefs would cook up that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course, my laptop would try to use the "I don't wanna work today" excuse.


	3. Day 3

Large, white specks sped past him faster than he could track. Passing along beneath him was a thick white quilt with strange prints in it. When had he traded his talons for misshapen ovals? Who even had feet like that? Right. Almost all the races of Hyrule had feet that looked similar to that.

But that still didn't answer the question of why his feet were suddenly shaped like that. And why were his feet pointing one way but his head was facing the opposite?

What had he been doing again? Why did he feel as though he were being jostled?

Why was his head so fuzzy? It was rather aggravating, the feeling of being so close to the answers he sought, yet each one slipped through his feathered-fingertips. He let out an irritated grunt that sounded more like a despairing groan. For the love of… something, why did even his voice refuse to cooperate?

Feeling his eyes grow heavy, the perplexed and exhausted Rito closed his eyes. Certainly allowing them to rest for a few moments would be enough to clear his head.

When he opened his eyes a few seconds later, the scenery had changed. Above him, a wooden ceiling blocked his view of the open air. A warm, orange glow danced across the grainy, wooden planks, highlighting many knots residing above him. He stared up blearily, trying to make sense of the various sensations he felt across his body. Something heavy lay atop him, trapping him in a pocket of intolerable heat. With a dissatisfied groan, he freed a wing and gripped the offending object, and tossed it aside.

Though he couldn't feel the cool air rushing in, he could at least feel the heat draining away slowly. Leaning back into whatever surface he had chosen as a bed, Revali screwed his eyes shut as he tried to make sense of something. Where was he? How had he gotten there? Why was he so exhausted? Why had he chosen such an uncomfortable position to sleep in?

With an irritable clack of his beak, he tried to turn over. A loud yelp tore its way out of his beak as a wing, a leg, and even his ribs cried out in agony. The pain was a knife that cut through his exhaustion and clouded mind, finally bringing some clarity.

Revali sat up quickly, ignoring his wounded body's protest as he looked around desperately for the silver Lynel he'd chosen to engage in battle. As far as anyone knew, the creature had settled on the edge of the Hebra region. While Lynels were known to be among the most dangerous of monsters, the village hadn't worried overly much about it. Until it had started descending from its domain into Rito territory. While no serious injuries had occurred, it was only a matter of time before the monster started killing innocents.

Knowing that it fell to him to take out the beast, Revali had set out to engage the beast as soon as he could. While he knew Princess Zelda and her personal _knight_ (he refused to acknowledge the boy as a fellow Champion) were supposed to be arriving any day to check on his progress with Medoh, he had been unwilling to risk the lives of any Rito. The thought that the boy might try to take it upon himself to "help" only added fuel to the fire.

While hunting the Lynel, Revali had felt small inklings of doubt creeping in. He was competent and the ablest of the Rito's warriors for sure; however, he still heard a small voice in the back of his head asking if even he could take on such a terror alone. Despite his best efforts, the nagging little voice had grown louder until his mind had become a warzone between his confidence and the voice of doubt.

And then he'd found the Lynel.

When the battle had started, the nagging voice had finally disappeared, allowing the Rito Champion to focus on the battle. That was where his memory grew foggy.

He remembered a roar to rival Daruk's, volleys and volleys of arrows, and quite a lot of pain. Everything else was simply gone.

As the rush of adrenaline subsided, Revali finally realized that it would not have made any sense for the Lynel to have dragged him to some sort of cabin.

Taking a more careful look around, the Rito Champion noticed that the shelter was sparsely furnished, with a rickety bed and a desk with a chair, both of which appeared to be about one day away from rotting. On the wall opposite of him, a fire crackled softly, generously spreading its warmth and light, not that there was much considering how close it was to dying. In a corner, several barrels were stacked haphazardly, as though their owner was entirely sure what was stored where and constantly needed to remind themselves.

Seeing that he was alone for the time being, the Rito Champion considered laying back down. He did feel as though he may have been trampled beneath a hefty set of hooves; however, he quickly shoved the thought aside. He wasn't sure who had found him, how they had escaped the Lynel with him in tow, and what their intentions toward him were. Far better to be awake in case he needed to defend himself. At least he could take solace in the fact that his Great Eagle bow had been propped up next to the bed.

Resigning himself to boredom for the moment, Revali hauled himself up, grunting as his body once again protested the movement. Standing unsteadily, he looked down, noticing a variety of bandages covering his feathered body. Many of them had been stained red. His injured leg was barely supporting his weight, and he was certain that his wing would be useless, even for grasping light objects.

Gritting his teeth, he looked around for any way to at least clean himself up but there wasn't even a hint of a washbasin. He cursed quietly as he questioned what sort of asinine housekeeper wouldn't even keep a simple basin for cleaning oneself nearby.

He had been miserable when he had finally grown lucid but now he was in a downright foul mood. Sitting around with nothing to do was one thing but forced to do so while filthy? That was something else entirely.

Revali turned around sharply, gasping as a sharp pain reverberated through every part of his body. Fortunately, all of it was forgotten as he recognized the Hylian that entered the small cabin. "You!?" Revali hissed.

Link said nothing, showed nothing, did nothing. He just stood there, staring at Revali from the hood of a thick cloak with a bundle of wood on his shoulder and a few rabbits in his other hand. Setting the bundle down, Link pointed toward the bed that he had been laying on minutes before.

"I think I'll pass."

The Hylian stared at him, less expressive than one of the planks of wood that had built the shelter. After a long, tense silence, Link dragged the bundle of wood to the fire and tended to the flames. After throwing in a few branches and stoking it for good measure, he stood up, pulling back his hood, and once again pointed toward the bed.

"I said -"

The Rito Champion was cut off as Link advanced, taking a hold of his good wing and strong-arming him toward the mattress.

Despite how battered his body was, Revali was still able to put up a fight. That was until his leg gave out and nearly sent him sprawling across the floor. Link must have suspected that it was going to happen, as he lunged forward, catching the Rito Champion with his other arm and lowering with him. Though he refused to admit it, Revali was grateful that he hadn't tried to stop his fall immediately, otherwise, he probably would have been seeing stars.

"Fine." Knowing that there was nothing he could do, the Rito Champion straightened himself up, and, salvaging what was left of his dignity, he waved Link away before limping toward the bed with as straight a back as he could manage. He wasn't some young chick that needed to be escorted to the nest and watched.

Under Link's silent direction, he sat, doing his best to remain silent as Link methodically removed every bandage, checked the wound beneath, then rebandaged it with a fresh cloth. The entire process was excruciating, with Link gently prodding many of the bruises. Though the logical side of him argued that Link was simply doing so to assess the damage, his ego was certain that the boy was purposefully trying to cause him discomfort.

Once finished, the Hylian Champion stepped back and removed a vial containing a pink liquid from a pouch on his hip. Link held it out to him.

"What's this?"

Again, there was no response.

"Do you really expect me to drink a potion without knowing what it is?"

Nothing.

"I'm not going to drink it unless you tell me what it is."

Silence.

"Can't you say one bloody thing?!"

A blank stare was all he got.

"Tch." Revali reached over, taking the potion and downing it quickly. "I don't know how that Princess puts up with you." Revali regretted the words as soon as they left his beak. While he was willing to admit that he could be snide and sometimes unpleasant, he didn't mean to be malicious.

It certainly didn't help that a shadow crossed Link's face, the only sign of expression he had ever seen on the boy's face. Just as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone, leaving the Rito Champion to feel incredibly uncomfortable.

The Hylian moved to the other end of the room, picking up the rabbits that he apparently intended to cook. The silence was almost unbearable, with only Revali's aches and pains to distract him and keep him angry enough to not focus on what he had just seen and what it could mean. Unfortunately for the Rito Champion, whatever potion Link had given him was acting quickly, as his pain was dulling by the second.

Whatever it had been, it must have been a rarity. Why had the Hylian given that to him?

"Why did you even come?" Link paused, still not facing Revali. "We're not friends, barely even allies. And I…" Revali looked up toward the ceiling as he lay back, "...admit that I have been rather curt with you. So, why come?" He looked down, angling his head to focus on the Hylian with a single eye.

A charged silence filled the room as Link remained still as a statue for several long seconds. "We need you."

Revali stared at him, dumbfounded. He wasn't sure what surprised him more, the fact that Link had spoken or the words he had chosen. The Rito Champion had heard many things in his life from what friends and family he had but not a single one had ever said that to him.

" _We need you."_

To think that the first person he would hear that from was the one he saw as his greatest rival. The very person he was determined to surpass no matter what it took.

Unsure of how to respond, Revali simply chuckled, which continued to evolve until he was struggling to breathe through the pain of a full-blown laugh. "'We need you," he says." He paused to catch his breath. "Can I get that in writing?" the Rito Champion asked snidely. It was simply too ludicrous to believe.

Link eyed him over his shoulder, giving nothing away. Wordlessly, he turned back to the task of preparing dinner.

Silence once again filled the room, separating the two Champions by what felt like an insurmountable distance. With the shock of Link's words gone, Revali suddenly remembered what it was to be a hatchling: small, vulnerable, and unsure of what to do.

Leaning back, he stared up at the ceiling thoughtfully. Even as his exhaustion crept back in, he couldn't get the words Link had spoken out of his head. Though he hated it and wished that he wasn't forced to admit it to himself, the words had filled a void he hadn't even known he had. As he drifted off, he couldn't help but wonder why it had to be him.

In the morning, after waking, he would find a small rolled slip bound neatly with a small ribbon waiting next to his pillow. It read:

" _We need you._

_\- Link, Princess Zelda's appointed knight, and Hylian Champion"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He then proceeds to copy it on another sheet of paper, crumple up the copy and toss it on the floor, and stuff the real in his tunic. Unfortunately, I was a bit limited on time.


	4. Day 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? Lipha brain rot.

Link walked down the stairs leading outside of Dorephan's throne room, uncertain of how to feel about the discussion he had just had. On one hand, it was… displeasing to have the Zora King give him a stern lecture about pushing himself too hard. As wise as Dorephan was, he was the first to admit that there were limits to his knowledge and his ability to empathize with the plights of others. So, how could he understand? How could he understand the pressures that came with wielding the sword on his back? Of protecting a princess whose life was vital to the success of their endeavor? Of representing not one but two royal families? Certainly, he could understand each of those in some small way that would do very little to mirror the actual experience.

However, he also understood and appreciated that the King did have a vested interest in him. Not only had he and Dorephan known each other for years but the Hylian had also been good friends with his children. The oldest of which had also been named a Champion. While he knew that the Zora King had reservations about allowing his daughter to fight in the coming war, Mipha had made a few stray comments that made him wonder if Dorephan had the same reservations in regard to him. Sometimes, he wondered if the king viewed him as one of his own. It would make sense, considering that the Zora collectively behaved as individuals or couples in a larger family unit. It wasn't unusual for their people to refer to those they had no blood connection to as kin. Granted, he had not been born to them but he had still grown up and been integrated into their culture. It would not have surprised him if the king, as well as a few other of the fish-folk, had come to see him as one of their own.

If he were to be honest, the conversation had felt much like what he had imagined a father chastising his child to be.

And of course, there was a tinge of guilt as well. The Zora King had not hidden the fact that Mipha was the one that had told him about Link's intense training regime and how much it worried her. The fact that Dorephan had not only summoned him out of the blue but also spoke so sternly to him meant that Mipha was concerned.

Perhaps he should have listened yesterday when she asked him to take a break. He couldn't see too much benefit in it for himself; however, it may have at least given her some peace of mind.

"Link?"

The Hylian Champion looked up, seeing Mipha waiting for him at the bottom of the steps. Link felt his heart rate spike, his breath hitching slightly. He wasn't sure why that had started but it had been happening for quite some time. Every time he looked at her in fact; however, the problem was so much worse at night in the Domain. The way that light from luminous stones bounced off her scales accentuated her natural beauty. It wasn't something he could put into words, not that he would have even if he could.

Even before he had chosen silence, he had never been very good with words, much to her delight. He was the reason that she understood Hylian expressions about having one's foot in his mouth.

Regaining his composure, he nodded to his childhood friend and fellow Champion.

"I wanted to apologize," she murmured as he reached the bottom of the steps. "I know that you have so much resting on your shoulders and that you feel the need to train so you are prepared for whatever may come." She took a deep breath, appearing conflicted as to how to phrase what she meant to say. "I understand that but I still worry for your safety. I was a bit… put off by your response yesterday and father knew that something was wrong while I was attending him. I had not meant for him to speak to you about it though." She bowed her head, "I am sorry."

"Don't." Mipha's head jerked back up quickly as she looked at him. Link rubbed the back of his sheepishly as he considered how he had brushed off her concerns the day before. "I'm sorry." She had been looking after him for as long as he could remember, and she had cared enough to give voice to her concerns. He should have had more respect for her and the feelings she had on the matter.

"No, I am the one who -" She stopped as Link frowned at her.

He allowed his face to soften as she remained quiet. Unlike most others, she knew when he had something he wished to say. Only Urbosa could rival the Zora Princess's ability to read him and the Gerudo Champion still spoke too soon at times. Mipha, however, said nothing as Link set his pride and fear of what lay on the horizon aside. "Thanks."

Seeing Mipha relax was enough to lift his mood. A small smile graced her face as she sent a brief glance around before stepping forward to give him a tight hug which he returned.

When had that started again? He couldn't remember her caring who saw her embracing him until not long after the incident with the Lynel.

The Zora Princess stepped back, looking mildly flustered about something. "I-I should let you get back to your training."

Link frowned thoughtfully as his gaze shifted toward the ground below.

"Is something wrong?"

Link's eyes flicked back up to her, considering her for a long moment. "Not tonight." While he may not agree with Mipha or Dorephan's opinion on his regime, he was willing to acknowledge that both had wisdom that he did not. Dorephan had lived for quite some time while Mipha had used her abilities to heal her people for years. They witnessed things that had yet to even cross his mind.

Besides, it was so very rare for him to get to visit home.

"Not tonight."

"You don't intend to train tonight?"

He shook his head. Though he felt a bit guilty about it, he had to admit that the thought of taking it easy for a day was growing more appealing. "You?"

"I…" Again, she grew surprisingly flustered. "Well, I started a new personal project and I need to collect some materials for it."

Link tilted his head interest which, to his surprise, only increased her nervousness.

"It's nothing too important!" Mipha stopped, taking a few deep breaths. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap." Another deep breath. "Both Sidon and my father have been asking me questions about it for quite some time, even though I explained that it is personal."

Link made a placating gesture, trying to let her know that she didn't need to continue nor did she owe him any explanation.

"Thank you," she murmured. She watched him uncertainly for a moment as though unsure of whether or not she should say what was on her mind. "We have not had much time together these past few days… would you like to join me?"

"Sure," Link replied with a small smile. While he was curious about her project he could push it aside. If she wanted him to know, she would let him on the secret no matter how much it embarrassed her.

As she led him through the Domain and outside the city to begin the mundane task of collecting the few dragon scales they could find, it occurred to Link that maybe this was more important than he thought. He had thrown himself into his duties and training with such intensity that he had nearly forgotten how much he enjoyed spending time with loved ones. Unintentionally, the Hylian Champion had almost forgotten one of the primary reasons he was working so hard to begin with.

As he and Mipha exchanged stories, laughed at the misadventures of Bazz Brigade, and reminisced about their childhood, Link came to understand just how severe his spiritual exhaustion had become. With every moment spent with his friend, he could feel the exhaustion recede as his spirit was rejuvenated.

Keeping silent on the matter and reflecting on it in the solitude of his own mind, the Hylian Champion made a mental note to find more time to return home and spend more time with his loved ones. Otherwise, why was he even fighting?


	5. Day 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only partial Lipha brain rot

"And break!" Daruk called.

Mipha gasped as she collapsed. Fighting to remain on her knees at the very least. Even years of training with Seggin hadn't prepared her for one session with the Goron Champion. Now, black spots appeared in her vision, her lungs were crying out, and her arms and legs felt like jelly.

Her eardrums throbbed with the sound of Daruk's laughter. "Gotta say, little sister, ya got a lotta heart. I’m not sure my brothers back home woulda put in half the effort ya did.”

“Thank… you,” Mipha managed to pant out. The burning of her lungs didn’t exactly allow her to appreciate the compliment fully; however, she knew he meant well. Besides, training with her mentor had taught her that a compliment not fully appreciated at the moment could be relished in later.

Daruk plopped down next to her, causing the ground to jump beneath her. A moment later, a breeze rushed past her, mercifully cooling down her overheated scales. Looking to the side, she saw that her trainer for the day was using his Boulder Breaker to fan her. “I’m proud ta call ya a fellow Champion.”

Taking a few deep breaths, Mipha finally regained control of her breathing. “I can say the same,” she croaked. Good grief, she was glad that Link had been unable to join them. Daruk, eager to spend more time with the appointed knight, had invited him to train with them. At first, Mipha had found the idea enticing. Now, she was thankful that he had gotten tied up in other matters. 

She looked up, finding the Goron Champion studying her intently. “Why did ya want to train with me?”

“I’m sorry?”

“I’ve trained with a lotta warriors in my day. Very few of ‘em lasted past tha first hour.” The Goron Champion hummed quietly. “Ya said you wanted ta be strong enough to stand by someone’s side. Link?”

Mipha felt her heart flop around like a fish out of water for a moment but only for a moment. Her new friend was watching her with such a sincere and compassionate gleam in his eyes that she highly doubted she would have to explain that part of herself. “Y-yes.” She was silent for a moment as she summed up her thoughts. She had been hoping to discuss this with her father but she knew, based on the last letter she had received from him, that he was still trying to accept her title as Champion. While her father was wonderfully supportive and understanding, Mipha abhorred the thought of using that to assuage her own feelings. “There is more to it than that though.”

Daruk waited patiently, his dark blue eyes inviting her to continue.

“Not long ago, my home was attacked by a Lynel and my baby brother…” Though it had been over and done for quite some time, the Zora Champion still struggled with the event. At least the nightmares had left her a while ago. “... He tried to fight the Lynel off on his own.” She shuddered as she remembered the sight of Sidon holding a spear several times his size, small legs shaking as the monster bore down on him. “Had it not been for Link, I’m not sure what would have happened.”

The Goron Champion wore a thoughtful frown as he folded his arms.

“After that, I started to wonder how I could ever hope to lead my people or protect my family if I was not even strong enough to defend against a Lynel.”

“... I think yer plenty strong as is.”

Mipha’s eyes widened as she looked up at him. 

He must have understood her confusion as he continued. “Havin’ muscle is important but that only makes ya so strong.” He took a hand and patted it on his chest. “This is where real strength is. And, I think ya’ve proven that yer plenty strong where it counts.”

Mipha took a moment, trying to process what Daruk was trying to tell her. Of course, she knew that physical strength had its limits but wasn’t that where she was lacking? Wouldn’t she be able to help them more if she were just a little stronger?

“I know ya want to be able ta stand next ta tha Little Guy, and protect yer family but don’t think yer muscle is all ya’ve got ta give. Ya have those healin’ powers and ya’ve helped us all settle in. Even Link and Revali are more at ease around ya.” Daruk grinned as he set a hand on her back. “I’m not sayin’ ta skip out on your trainin’, but I don’t want ya forgettin’ what your real strengths are.”

Her real strengths? She wasn’t entirely sure she agreed with the Goron Champion but she was willing to admit he had a point. Seggin, unwilling to indulge in idle flattery, had praised her spear work extensively. She had also noticed that, when it came to physical power, she was no small fry. Her physical prowess didn’t compare to Link’s and Daruk was in a league all his own but she had noticed that she was stronger and more skilled than the average foot soldier.

Maybe he was right.

“Thank you, Daruk.”

“Anytime, little sister.” A wide grin split his face. “Now, when can we do this again?”

Mipha favored him with a weak smile. “Perhaps we should wait a day or two.”

Daruk leaned back, his laughter booming through the training grounds. “See?! Plenty strong! And don’t worry, this time, I’ll get the Little Guy here too. Extra motivation,” he finished with a wink.

“Oh…” Mipha resigned herself to whatever plan Daruk had in mind. She had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to stop him anyway.

  
  



	6. Day 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not happy with this, but I don't have time to scrap it and start over.

“... Very well. You may accompany Impa and Purah but you are to devote yourself entirely to unlocking your sealing powers. Am I understood?”

“Yes, father.”

He hid the small fractures that threatened to shatter his heart behind a facade of austerity. If only he could have taken the weight that rested on his poor daughter’s shoulders; however, such a thing was beyond him. Really, the king was at his wit’s end when it came to what he was supposed to do to help her. He had thought that removing all distractions so she could focus on her training would help. All it had done was drive a wedge between them and hurt her.

As he studied the forlorn expression in her eyes, the thought once again crossed his mind that he may have been wrong this entire time. If removing the distractions did nothing, then perhaps allowing her to indulge in her curiosities might. And perhaps there was another strategy he could employ at the same time.

“I think it would be wise for the pilots to join you and Link as well.”

Zelda perked up at the news. A small glimmer of hope and excitement appeared in her eyes, though she did her best to hide it from him. 

Another fracture in his old heart.

“It would be my pleasure.”

“We’ll keep our little sister safe.”

“I suppose I could find the time to lend my services.”

Urbosa was the only one to remain silent. King Rhoam didn’t look at her, though he could hear her fingers tapping against her hip as her eyes drilled into him. He already knew where she stood on his attitude toward the girl.

While he did hope that their accompanying Zelda would lift her spirits slightly, he had another motive as well. Rhoam was aware that she had developed bonds with each of them, with Mipha and Daruk quickly becoming steadfast friends with her, while Urbosa had filled her mother’s shoes for years. Even Revali, as aloof as he often was, had developed a bit of a soft spot for her. What was more, each pilot had been blessed with a special power of their own. Maybe spending some time with them would help her discover the secret of her own powers.

It was his last hope. Sometimes, he found himself wanting her to access them for no other reason so that he could let it go and hopefully begin the healing process with her. It would take years, assuming she even wanted to repair their relationship and quite a lot of his little girl’s forgiveness.

Zelda turned away, maintaining proper posture as she made to descend the stairs. As he watched her leaving, he was overcome by a whim. It wasn’t something he would have ever thought to do before that moment but perhaps it would help. And, right then, he was willing to try just about anything.

“One last thing.” The princess paused, turning back to face him again. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small object that fit comfortably in his palm and held it up for her to see. She had given him the small piece of Sheikah technology a few days prior, hoping to distract him with a promise that the ancient device may play a pivotal role in the coming days. “Your mother gave one of these to me as well,” he explained as he reached into his breast pocket and pulled out an identical device. “She also thought that they would play a vital role in the Calamity’s defeat.” He studied her face, seeing shock, fascination, and something else he could not identify in her eyes. “You are to take this with you and, if you are able, you will determine its use and how it may serve us in the days to come.”

The Hylian King held the device out, allowing Zelda to approach and tentatively take one. She locked eyes with him for a brief moment before nodding and stepping back.

“Now, go prepare for your journey.”

The princess nodded before excusing herself and descending the stairs with her friends in tow. Only Urbosa remained behind, her eyes still burning a hole in the side of his face. Below, he watched his daughter walk out of the Sanctum.

“I take it you are displeased with me.”

“That would be putting it mildly.”

King Rhoam sighed as he prepared himself for another “discussion” with the Gerudo Chieftain. “Sometimes, I think you take her parting words too seriously.”

“The two of you are like family to me.” Urbosa glowered down at him as she stepped forward. “I don’t need her parting words to speak up when I see you doing this to her.”

“And what would you have me do?” Normally, he would have tried to hide his irritation; however, he felt no regret for the bark in his voice. “Have you considered what happens if she fails to unlock her powers?”

“I have,” the Gerudo replied as she began pacing before him. “We all will eventually die.”

“Indeed. It may be harsh but we must be willing to do whatever it takes to prevent that.”

“And how has that worked for you so far?” She didn’t wait for him to answer. “Has she gotten any closer?” 

The Hylian couldn’t help but wonder if she were holding back at the moment. He knew that her anger toward him had buried itself deep; however, she had only ever skirted the line of disrespect toward her suzerain. Even if she were to do more than skirt the line, he would be hesitant to do much. She was a powerful ally and, as little as he may have liked her, he believed it was good for Zelda to have a woman of strength in her life.

Rhoam took a deep breath, reaching for whatever reserves of patience he had left. Though he found the woman to be disagreeable, he knew that she had his daughter’s best interests at heart. He also knew that Zelda looked to the chieftain as a mother. Perhaps, if he could set aside his dislike of her, they could work together to help the girl and preserve the future. “I ask again, what would you have me do?”

Urbosa sighed as she looked at him again, “I think you should stop playing the king and start being her father. We both know this hurts you just as it does her.”

The king chuckled ruefully. “Is that concern I hear?”

“I’ve lost what love I had for you,” she answered, “but she still adores you. That is reason enough for me to speak to you.”

The King of Hyrule remained silent as he considered her words. It warmed his heart to know that his little girl still loved him. At the same, his chest throbbed as he considered the loss of his wife, his friendship with the Gerudo Chieftain, and the pressure that he and his child faced.

Why were the two of them cursed with such a fate?

“Watch over her for me,” he said quietly.

“I’ll do it for myself,” she replied curtly, turning away from the king and descending the stairs with a languid grace that only a Gerudo could muster. Stopping partway down she looked up at him over her shoulder. “For what it’s worth, it was good of you to give her the device.” Without waiting for a response, the woman left him.

The king leaned back, taking a moment to close his eyes and reflect. One of these days, he would either relent or Urbosa would fry him with her lightning. The question that remained was which would come first.


	7. Day 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Crack shot time!

"... Thank you, Link." Zelda dismissed the knight to his task, feeling hopeful that he would be able to help. Urbosa, her surrogate mother and confidant, and Mipha, a dear friend and encourager, had both arrived and would be holding an audience with the Hylian Princess in her private quarters. Seeing how rarely the three of them could get together, Zelda wanted everything to be perfect. Though neither Urbosa nor Mipha would have held it against her, the Princess had noticed that a few of their refreshments had been poorly prepared last time, especially the dishes prepared for Mipha and her younger brother.

However, she had recently learned that Link had quite a high standard when it came to food and would accept nothing less than perfection. Hopefully, he could get everything in the kitchen sorted out for her.

If nothing else, he was quite skilled in the culinary arts. Perhaps he could even handle the dishes himself.

A firm knock on her door drug her out of her thoughts. She smiled brightly as she recognized that particular sound.

"Come in, Urbosa!" she called.

The Gerudo Chieftain opened the door and sashayed into the spacious lounge. "Hello, Little Bird." She wrapped Zelda in a strong embrace, nearly lifting the girl off her feet. "How have you been?"

"Well," Zelda wheezed, almost unable to breathe.

Urbosa laughed heartily, relaxing her grip on the girl and allowing her to catch her breath.

"I've missed you." It always surprised her how excited she was to see the Gerudo woman. Sometimes, she was worried what Urbosa might have thought of her or that she was too busy for her; however, the Gerudo's playful smile and reassuring presence was always enough to set her at ease immediately.

"And I you." Urbosa chose a cushioned seat, reclining back as she continued watching Zelda. "So, how have you really been?"

"... Things could be better," Zelda admitted quietly. "Father is still frustrated with how slow things are going but he has been more… understanding."

"I am glad to hear that he is at least being more patient with you."

"I just wish-" Zelda was cut off by a quiet knock. "Come in!"

Mipha entered, quietly as ever. "I apologize for being late. I received a letter from my father this morning that I had to attend to immediately."

"There's no need to apologize," Zelda answered with a smile as she moved to embrace the Zora Princess. "Link still isn't back from the kitchens, so there was no need to rush."

"... What?"

The confusion and near panic that she heard in the Zora's voice gave her pause. She took a step back, sizing Mipha up. "I sent Link to the kitchen to fetch lunch for us."

"... Oh dear." Mipha's hand covered her forehead as she took a couple of deep breaths. "If you'll excuse me I need to…" the Zora Princess turned away, rushing out of the room.

"Mipha!" Zelda cried out, hoping to at least figure out what was causing her such distress. Unfortunately, the Zora in question was either already out of earshot or was too caught up in the moment to respond.

"Now I have to see this." Behind her, Urbosa had climbed to her feet and was already halfway to the door. "Care to join me?"

Together, the two women made their way to the kitchen quickly, hoping to catch up to Mipha in the process.

* * *

Sidon watched with narrowed eyes as Link tasted the dish that one of the cooks brought. He could feel the Hylian tense up beneath him from where he sat on Link's shoulders. Without warning, the Hylian threw the spoon down in anger, causing the cook to flinch and back up a step.

Link took another spoon and, collecting a small mouthful, held it up for Sidon to try. Leaning forward, the young Zora Prince tasted the food. His face twisted as he shook his head, hoping the physical motion would remove the flavor from his mouth. "Too much salt!"

Link motioned for the cook to come forward before holding another spoon out to him. The cook took the utensil tentatively, as though worried the Hylian might lash out. It wasn't long before the man's face had paled considerably and he took the pan away and dumped it in the trash. Hanging his head low, he set the pan in a pile of dirty dishes and moved back to his station. "Remember to try it this time!" Sidon called, hoping to be somewhat helpful.

Link turned sharply, forcing the Zora Prince to hang on tighter as he was nearly knocked off the Hylian's shoulders. At first, he couldn't help but be curious as to what had caught his attention; however, it only took him a moment to spot the cook that was trying to sneak his creation past them. Link motioned sharply to the man but he either didn't notice or was pretending not to. "Hey! Get over here!"

The man slumped his shoulders in resignation as he brought his plate over. On it rested a rack of lamb. Link took the plate, poking at it. The now irate Hylian knight tossed the plate before rubbing his face in a mixture of anger and agony.

"It's raw," Sidon explained, losing patience himself. He hadn't really had a passion for food until he had started hanging around his sister's friend. Now, not only was he passionate about fine cuisine, but he also was exponentially more passionate when around Link.

"What?"

"It's raw!"

Link made a gesture toward Sidon, much to the confusion of the cook.

"He's telling you I don't even eat lamb and I know it's raw!"

Just like the man before, this one walked away with an ashen face. The Zora Prince took a moment to cool off before Link sharply demanded his attention again. The Hylian knight pointed toward the plate once again. To his embarrassment, it took him a moment to see the issue. "Where's the lamb sauce?!" The cook in question hung his head in shame.

"Link! Sidon!"

Upon hearing his sister's voice, Sidon immediately lost focus on the hectic kitchen around him. "Hey, big sis!"

"What are you both doing?"

"We're helping!" the Zora Prince answered as he flashed her the sweetest smile he could. He really didn't want her to know that he was yelling about food again. The last lecture had been unpleasant enough.

"I see…" His older sister tried to move into Link's field of view as the Hylian watched over a few nearby cooks. "Thank you for helping to ensure that we get the best the kitchen has to offer but I think that we should leave them alone now so they can finish their work now."

Link said nothing.

"Link?"

Another cook, this one knowing there was no escape for her, approached with a plate of steamed fish. Taking a small morsel, Link popped it in his mouth and remained motionless for a moment. Finally, he nodded and took the plate.

"Oh, thank the Goddess," Sidon groaned as Link took a choice few and placed them on a plate before dressing them up with a garnish.

"Sidon!"

"What?" he complained. "I'm translating."

The sound of a hearty laugh distracted everyone. Urbosa and Zelda had arrived and were surveying the room with no small amount of amusement on the older woman's part. Zelda, on the other hand, appeared to be rather concerned about what she was witnessing.

Sidon was jolted as Mipha, who must have reached the limit of what she would willingly put up with, grabbed onto Link and tried to drag him away even as he held onto the plate of fish. Urbosa and Zelda watched the Zora Princess struggle for a moment before moving to help. Together, the three women dragged Link and Sidon as far away from the kitchen as they could, with Sidon voicing Link's complaints the entire time.


	8. Day 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, sweet, Lipha fluff

Mipha's eyes cracked open to find her bed-chamber bathed in the dark of night. It was fairly unusual for her to wake up at such a time. Shifting around, the Zora tried to find a more comfortable position; however, even after readjusting herself, sleep eluded her. Even the sound of rain wasn't enough to lull her back to sleep. Something required her attention.

Feeling herself grow more lucid by the second, she finally sat up. Her eyes swept the room, knowing that something was wrong, yet she failed to see anything out of the norm. Feeling a small sense of dread building up in the pit of her stomach, the Zora Princess threw her blanket aside as she jumped to her feet.

Crossing her room in a state of near panic, Mipha rushed to the shallow pool that had been built into the floor. Within it, a small tadpole drifted peacefully, blissfully unaware of her mother's distress. Like all Zora of her age, her scales were grey and lifeless; however, she was still the most beautiful thing that Mipha had ever seen.

Just to be sure that the infant was well, Mipha stuck her finger in the pool and drew shapes within the water. It wasn't long before the tadpole had awakened and was chasing her finger around in earnest, just as she did her food. Breathing a sigh of relief, the Zora removed her finger, watching her daughter fondly for a moment as the tadpole continued swimming frenetically. The little one was still certain that her prey was somewhere within her small world, and so she prowled.

As much as she wanted to remain by the pool's side all night, she knew that sleep was necessary for her to perform her duties.

Feeling relieved that all was well with her child, Mipha returned to her bed. As she pulled her quilt back over herself, she quickly became dissatisfied with how cold it had grown. Certainly, it was warmer than it should have been (thanks to a certain Hylian) but it wasn't as warm as it had been. Carefully edging over, she worked underneath her husband's arm, nestling her head on his chest.

She sighed in satisfaction as she felt the warmth begin to seep below her scales. Unfortunately, it wasn't long until she was frowning. She could hear his heart beating erratically beneath her head and, pressed against him as she was, she could feel the tension he was carrying in his arm and chest.

"Is something wrong?"

"...No," was the quiet reply.

She knew he was lying; however, calling him out directly never helped anything. So, she remained where she was, hoping that her patience would win out. As the quiet minutes dragged into eternity. Eventually, Link began to relax.

Then, a thunderclap resounded above them, shaking everything in the room with its rage. In an instant, Link went rigid once again.

It was then that Mipha began to develop an idea of what was wrong. Though it had been a while since their last battle, Link was still recovering from the scars of two wars. While he normally handled things like loud sounds well, it could be hard on him, especially if he weren't expecting it. And, if he were suffering from a nightmare just before, it could be disastrous.

Readjusting herself once again, Mipha managed to situate herself so that she could hold his head to her chest. Wrapping herself around him, whispering to him quietly, telling him fond stories of their childhood, of her memories with her time with him on the road, and what she hoped the future might hold for their child. As she spoke, she could feel him relax in her arms until he was sleeping. Even as another, quieter thunderclap resounded above them, he only flinched slightly. Even so, she continued to hold him close as she drifted off to sleep.


	9. Day 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> High school AU time!

"Sidon, please be careful!" Mipha called as she watched the child leaping in and out of the water around Link, who was lounging in a chair that he had somehow strapped to a surfboard. The Zora had expressed confusion as to how Link had managed to not only stabilize it but somehow ride the waves as well, all while drinking a soda. The sun reflected off his sunglasses, making

Zelda only rolled her eyes at her brother's antics. As quiet and blank-faced as he could be, she knew he was the definition of chaos. It was honestly irritating how he seemed capable of casually disobeying fundamental laws of the universe.

However, her twin's ridiculous method of surfing wasn't her primary concern at the moment.

"Come on, Revali, it could be fun!"

"I don't see how splashing around like a child could possibly be fun, especially with feathers." The Rito crossed his wings, turning away from the shoreline resolutely.

"Then why did you come?" Zelda asked. When proposing ideas for how they could spend their break, Revali had been vehemently against a day at the beach. Yet, when the group had decided to have a day at the beach for those who were interested and another day for everyone to enjoy, Revali had still shown up. And he was being a bit more difficult than usual.

“Because both the shooting range and the gym are closed,” Revali grumbled.

The Hylian turned to Mipha, who was studying Revali closely. The Zora was far better at reading those around her than Zelda, even when it came to people that Zelda spent more time around.

“Revali… are you afraid of the ocean?”

“Ha! Laughable.”

Even Zelda could tell that something wasn’t quite right with the response.

“Well, if you were-” Mipha said carefully, as she always did when speaking to Revali.

“I’m not.”

“If you were, I would tell you there is very little reason to be scared, especially if you stay near the shore.”

“I told you I’m not.” Zelda frowned thoughtfully as Revali continued arguing the point. He only argued as such when he was concerned about how a fact about himself might make him appear. Otherwise, he waved off whatever rumor was circulating, letting people believe whatever.

“Mipha! Look!” Everyone turned to see Sidon leaping out of the water, doing various stunts as he flew over Link’s head.

“Wow! That’s amazing Sidon.” The Zora watched a few more seconds before turning away when she was certain he was distracted.

“Revali, would it hel -”

“Miphaaaaa!”

The Zora in question sighed. “Excuse me for a minute.” Mipha left the Rito and the Hylian alone as she waded out into the water and swam out to meet her younger brother.

“She had better not say a word,” Revali muttered as he shuffled away from the shoreline.

“So, it’s true?” Zelda asked quietly. She had found that, sometimes, the Rito could be a bit more agreeable if she spoke quietly, even when they were alone.

“Not being fond of the ocean isn’t the same as being afraid.”

“Is it true?” she asked again.

“Fine,” he grunted. “I really don’t like the idea of not being able to see what’s below me. Plus… Rito are weak swimmers.”

“I understand,” Zelda murmured as she edged further into his field of view, trying to get him to look at her.

Revali scoffed, turning away sharply.

“No, really! I used to be terrified of what was under my bed.” Again, Zelda tried edging around him so that she could see his face. “My father would come in and, before bed, he would look under the bed with me to make sure there weren’t any monsters hiding beneath it.”

Revali said nothing as he turned away again.

Zelda huffed as he refused to be receptive to her at all; however, if years of studying her brother had taught her one thing, persistence always won out. Maybe all she needed was a change of strategy.

“Would it help if I went with you?”

Revali faltered for a moment, his wings nearly falling. He stood silently for a few seconds before tensing up. “... fine. But not too deep. I don’t want to be cleaning dried salt out of my feathers for weeks.”

“Not too deep,” Zelda agreed as she took his wing and guided him out to the water.


	10. Day 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This actually comes from one of the original plans for Era, in which, after clearing a Divine Beast, Link would receive coordinates that led to a Shrine of Resurrection tied directly to each Champion's respective DB. I still kind of want to explore that idea at some point.

The house had been a warzone that morning, with books, cooking utensils, used plates, sharpening stones, towels, and even shavings from a few hours spent wood carving littered everywhere. It would have taken nothing less than Hyrule’s finest waging total war on the mess to have any hope of a clean home before his guest arrived.

Luckily, Link was among Hyrule’s finest.

And he was all about total war… at least where monsters were concerned.

His enemy named and the stage set, the Hylian Champion had done what he was best at. With broom, mops, suds, and cloths as his weapon, he attacked the problem as he would a Hinox. No holds, strikes, or techniques were barred; however, as the hours passed, Link became aware that he wasn’t fighting a Hinox. His enemy was really a Lynel in disguise.

Changing strategies, the now veteran warrior lashed out with a renewed vigor, wondering the whole time what had happened. Though memories of life before the Calamity were sparse, he remembered always keeping his space clean during his time among the knights. Granted, that had more to do with not wanting to have his regiment punished for his lapse in cleanliness but it should have been a habit by now, right?

Now, he seemed to be reverting back to his childhood spent in Zora’s Domain, where he had been known for many things. Keeping a neat and orderly abode was not one of those things.

Of course, he just rationalized it as an overcorrection now that he was no longer sworn to the Hylian Royal Family. Even with that rationalization, he’d rather Mipha didn’t see his house in such a state. He remembered her worrying after him enough as it was.

Sweeping the last bit of dirt into his dustpan, Link stepped back to admire his work. He gave a pleased nod as he sighed in satisfaction. He had completed his objective, as harrowing as it was, and all before his childhood friend had arrived.

Dumping the dustpan into the trash he turned to hang up his broom and came face to face with his visitor.

Link’s heart stopped as Mipha smiled at him weakly. “H-hello Link.”

The Hylian Champion stared at her, completely stupified by her sudden appearance. He wasn’t exactly bothered that she had entered unannounced. Rather, it was that he had no inkling of how long she had been there or how much she had seen.

“I’m sorry!” she explained as he continued staring. “I knocked but you didn’t answer. And there was so much crashing and scraping that I was worried you may have been -” Placing her hands on her chest, Mipha took a few deep breaths, closing her eyes for good measure. After a few moments, she opened them again, much more under control. “I truly am sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

Mipha frowned lightly but said nothing concerning his choice of words. “Were you cleaning for me?” 

Link nodded, knowing it would do no good to lie. Even though he had no way of knowing whether her memory was intact or not, he knew she was quick to catch on when others were lying to her. Though she was too sweet to call others out on it most of the time.

Her face lit up with a smile that diffused the awkward tension that had been hanging over them. 

Feeling himself relax, Link attempted to take her travel bag for her; however, she refused, asking to keep it close at hand for the time being. So, he instead ushered her further into his home, pulling out a chair for her at his table. “How long?” Hopefully, enough of her memories had been regained for her to remember how to fill in the gaps. Though he was becoming more comfortable with speaking, he still wasn’t sure where they stood. Considering that he had left her with very little knowledge of her people, her family, her role, him, and anything that may have resided between them, he may have been speaking to a complete stranger.

“About two hours,” she answered with a slight grimace as she looked down at her lap.

Link stared at her blankly. 

“You were… quite focused.” 

“Sorry.”

“It is quite all right. It is rather nice to know that you think so highly of me.” Always so kind and graceful, just as he remembered. “I remember when you were younger. Your room was always a… what’s the expression? “Pigsty?’”

Link nodded thoughtfully. Yes, he’d always kept a messy room when he was a child. He could remember a few times when Mipha had lightly lectured him on it. Suddenly, the Hylian’s eyes widened as he refocused on her. Did that mean she remembered as well?

“Yes, I remember,” Mipha confirmed as she gestured for him to take a seat across from her. Link obliged, carefully observing her mannerisms. When she had first awoken in the shrine at the bottom of Lake Hylia, she had been as pure and sweet as ever, only really lacking in timidity. Now though, the timidity had returned. It crossed his mind quietly that it was a bit of shame but it was something he understood well. “That is why I came.”

Link nodded, agreeing with the pragmatism of the statement. He probably would have done the same in her shoes, though it did sting a bit that she may not have wanted to see him as badly as he did her.

“That and to see a dear friend,” she corrected with a shy smile. “But, before anything else, there is one thing we must discuss.”

Link felt his heartrate slowly escalate as the Zora took another series of deep breaths. Reaching into the bag she had brought, she removed a very familiar piece of armor. A century ago, she had made it for him. Upon returning to the Domain, with his memory in shambles, he had donned it in the hopes of calming Ruta without knowing its true meaning. After discovering that meaning and finding her once again, deprived of any memories, he had removed it and gave it back to the King. He simply couldn’t wear it then.

“I… I know you gave this back to father and I -” Link hated the way her voice cracked “- I have not come to try and change your mind. I just,” she paused for a moment, visibly summoning every ounce of courage she had, “I just wanted to ask why.”

Link remained silent as he gazed down at the armor. He had never thought he would see it again.

“And I hope you know that, whatever the answer, that I will always and forever be your friend… if that’s what you want.”

The Hylian Champion’s eyes flicked up to her, watching every glint, every movement she made. “You remember?”

“I do.”

Without another word, Link climbed to his feet and stripped off his tunic. Dropping it on the freshly cleaned floor, he took the Zora armor and donned it without a second thought. Once it was secured, he walked around the table and pulled the Zora Princess into a tight embrace. “I couldn’t wear it until you remembered. Until you gave it to me yourself.”

“Does that mean?”

He smiled fondly as he heard the hopeful tones in her voice. “I accept.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heccin' Link causing problems

Leru stood in the door to her father’s study, rubbing at her tear-stained cheeks as she waited for him to notice her. She really wanted to call out but her voice wasn’t really working at the moment. A mixture of fear, guilt, and shame kept her silent. And so, all she could do was stand and fidget, wishing desperately that he would take notice.

And hopefully, he wouldn’t hate her.

As though hearing her unvoiced plea, her father, who had his back to her, paused. Looking over his shoulder, his roaming eyes found her. He frowned, tilting his head as he studied her. Setting down the trident he had been polishing, he turned to face her and beckoned silently. 

The child nearly tripped as she ran across the room. Her father caught her, picking her up and setting her on his lap gingerly. “What’s wrong?”

“I… I…” She could barely force the single syllable out before devolving into a pool of tears again. The memory of what had happened was still so fresh in her mind.

As gently as ever, her father adjusted his hold on her, swaddling her with a golden fin as he listened patiently. She gripped the fin tighter, curling up and hiding away in them for as long as she could.

When her tears finally stopped falling and she was able to speak again, Leru explained what had happened in a hushed tone, hoping that a smaller voice would help. In what way, she wasn’t sure but she was rather desperate.

She and Alolu had heard a story from their grandfather concerning their father and how he had killed a Lynel. While that part had been fascinating to the two, they had latched onto the tidbit concerning a helm that had been made in his honor. Hoping to preserve it, the Zora had enshrined it in a small temple in the highlands surrounding the Domain. There it had been kept safe for quite some time.

And then, one day, a disaster struck. While her grandfather was scant with details upon hearing their questions, Leru was certain that he knew what had happened. It must have not have been a particularly unhappy memory. Whatever had happened, it was still something that angered him in some regard. Whatever it was, the temple had been partially destroyed and submerged beneath a pseudo-lake. For some reason unbeknownst to the two girls, the helm had never been recovered.

Believing that the lost treasure was in danger, Alolu had suggested that they set out immediately to recover the artifact. Leru wasn’t quite as interested in the treasure as she was in the prospect of learning more about her parents, particularly her father. His reserved nature kept her from really understanding what sorts of things he had done in life. Where had he learned cooking? Why was he so quiet? Had he always been good with weapons? Why did so many people look up to him? She thought he was amazing but she wanted to know why other people thought so. What did they know that she did not?

Though she didn’t herself much of an adventurer, she reasoned that the chance to learn something new and even see something she never had before outweighed the risks.

How wrong she had been.

While the temple itself had been beautiful, the entire adventure had been a bust. Leru almost felt bad for her older sister. Alolu had been so disappointed when they had discovered the empty chest. It must have been especially difficult after everything they’d had to do to get away from their aunt and uncle, as well as Gaddison. All of that and the trek up to the highlands, searching for an entrance to the temple after finding the lake and scouring what rooms remained for any signs of their father’s lost treasure.

And all her sister had found was an empty chest. Leru didn’t mind terribly. Sure, some part of her had been hoping to see what the helm had looked like but, at the end of the day, she didn’t think it was that important to their father. Otherwise, why had he not gone to retrieve it himself?

Maybe he even had.

Of course, Alolu had argued that, if he had, he would have already let their grandfather know. 

And so, the young Zora had left the temple behind with her dejected sister. As they had been swimming back to the surface, they had been caught by a rather large octorok. In the panic of trying to fight her way out of the monster’s tentacles, Leru hadn’t noticed her fins as her fins fanned outward. Somewhere in the thrashing, some of her stingers had punctured the creature, including the ones that her parents had taught her to always be careful of. Not long afterward, the beast had become ill. It had lost its grip on them, floundering in a vain attempt to move. Eventually, it was unable to maintain any buoyancy as it sunk into the depths of the lake. As shallow as it was, Leru could see it struggling on the lake bed before finally falling still.

Even though it was a monster and it had threatened them, it had been her fault that it had suffered so much. As the adrenaline wore off, she couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if she were to accidentally sting someone she loved.

They would suffer the exact same thing. As they traveled home, she was shaken by the thought of watching that happen to her parents or sister.

Her father remained silent as she spoke from beneath his fin. As the silence wore on, she could feel her eyes burning as she imagined the look he would be giving her if she wasn’t currently hiding under a golden shield.

Eventually, though, she felt a finger under her chin, inviting her to look up. Hesitantly, she looked up, expecting to see a troubled frown or disappointment. Instead, he was watching her with a blank expression. “Alolu?”

“She’s okay,” the child whimpered. “She went to talk to mom.”

His stoicism melted away under a fond smile. “I’m glad your safe.”

“But- but...”

He sat, listening patiently as she tried to splutter out all of her fears and anxiety. What if she stung them? What if they grew so terribly sick? What if they died because of her? Wouldn’t people hate her? Shouldn’t they?

When Leru finally wound down, her father waited a moment before speaking. He rubbed her back comfortingly as he told her that the octorok was fine, just a little sick. He told her about how she had accidentally stung him so many times that he no longer grew ill when it happened, all when she was still too young to remember. He told her about how she had also stung her mother and older sister, both of whom knew it had happened but couldn’t really remember how.

He also reminded her that none of it was her fault. She had never stung anyone intentionally, and he believed wholeheartedly she never would.

Though it didn’t remove the awful memory of what had happened to the octorok, the girl found herself breathing easier as she listened.

When her father was done speaking, both her mother, who looked relieved and upset, and her sister, who looked thoroughly abashed, entered the room. Her mother had hugged her fiercely and it was the first time Leru had noticed how naturally her mother avoided her barbs. She had never considered that her family must have learned the hard way to accommodate her unique condition.

And they loved her anyway, even though she had made them just as miserable as the poor creature on the lakebed. 

Once her mother had released her, she had set both girls down and gave them an earful, much to their father’s amusement.

And, after all of that, he had beckoned them toward a corner where a small chest sat. Opening and reaching inside, he took out a blue-scaled helm that looked much like the top of a Zora’s head. With a grin, he placed it on Leru’s head as he waited for them to figure out what it was.


	12. Day 12

“I thought I might find you sulking here.” Revali cringed internally as soon as the words left his beak. While he didn’t really find much to respect in the girl’s attitude, he hadn’t meant to belittle her further. He knew all too well that while nobody was harsher on an individual than themselves, unkind or judgemental words from others could still be devastating.

And he wasn’t trying to make her life more miserable.

Hylia knew the girl had been cursed with a fate that nobody should have to bear, even with the likes of him as an ally.

“Sorry. That was… inconsiderate,” he muttered quietly.

“No… you are right,” Zelda murmured quietly. “I am sulking.” The admission was uttered sheepishly. Obviously, she understood that doing so did nothing helpful. “Just think… If father saw me like this…”

Revali looked away from the girl, finding her much too sorry to look at for the moment. Folding his wings behind him, he turned his back and walked toward the edge of the Sheikah Tower. He gazed down, over the edge of the tower as he strained to see any sign of the others, particularly Urbosa. Unfortunately, the fading light obscured much of the detail he would have seen during the day. “I’d ask if you knew what the issue is,” he paused again, silently cursing his poor choice of words, “but I imagine you would have already solved it if that were the case.”

“Solved it?”

Revali cocked his head, staring at her with a single eye. Sometimes, he wished he knew how Urbosa and Mipha just seemed to know what to say, when to say it, and the how of it as well. Hell, even Link acknowledged them when they spoke. All it took was a few words from Mipha, and Link would drop everything to help her with some menial task.

Still, neither of the two women were here. Dinsake, he’d even take Daruk’s help at this point; however, he’d likely be one of the last to arrive. His amusingly short legs could be a hindrance at times.

Revali sighed as he thought of the best way to explain what he meant. “Think about your powers like they’re that ridiculous egg-shaped Guardian, yeah?”

The Princess of Hyrule gave him a perplexed look but she had perked up at the mention of the ancient piece of tech. At least she was moderately distracted from her woes. It was nothing much, but the Rito Champion was willing to take what he could get at this point.

“Remember how you noticed it was walking funny last week?”

“Yes. There was an issue with his -” and that was where she lost him. Suddenly, the Princess was babbling incoherently about technology and its inner workings, trying to explain what had been causing the issue.

“Yes, yes, yes,” Revali interrupted as he waved a wing dismissively. “Do you see what I’m trying to say?”

“... Not at all,” she replied with a confused shake of her head.

“Okay.” Revali took a deep breath, summoning his patience. While Zelda was quite kind and often very agreeable, she could be quite thick at times. “You know how you were thinking when you fixed its walking issue?”

“Yes.”

“Have you tried thinking of your powers like that?”

“Of course not. My power isn’t -”

“Oh, for the love of Hylia,” Revali grumbled, rubbing his temples. Who, in their right mind, would send a child to perform the task of sealing the Calamity away? “Was the eggbot’s problem a large malfunction or a small one that led to bigger problems?”

“A small one?”

“Yes!” Still, the Rito had very little faith that he wouldn’t have to spell it out. “You and your powers are the same way. You’re not suffering from some large malfunction -”

“It’s just a small issue that causes larger problems…” Zelda’s eyes clouded as she considered his words before she suddenly brightened. “You’re saying that if I can find that small issue, I can finally access my powers?”

“Couldn’t tell you,” he answered, simply relieved that she had finally caught his meaning.

“... Thank you, Revali.”

The Rito Champion allowed a small smile to cross his face. Maybe there was hope for her yet. He certainly hoped she could figure it out, and for more than just Hyrule’s sake. After all, he found it to be a shame that she didn’t smile more. She wore one quite well.


	13. Day 13

“Did I ever tell the three of you about the time your mothers and I snuck your fathers into Gerudo town?”

“Why would you have to sneak him into a town?” 

Alolu settled next to Lery and Komali on the ground at the old Gerudo’s feet. Getting to hear her grandmother’s stories was always an exciting prospect. Back in the Domain, her grandfather told some of her favorite stories; however, granny Urbosa told the funniest stories that her grandfather would never dare to tell.

If he even knew about them.

Granny, on the other hand, had no fear of what her father or uncle Revali would do to her if they found out what stories she was telling. Really, it seemed like the girls’ mother was the only one she held any fear of but it wasn’t much.

“We had helped the town solve a rather troublesome issue,” the old Gerudo explained with a sly smile. “Lady Riju had a celebration in our honor and asked us to attend as her guests of honor. At the time, men were normally barred from the city.” A small, reminiscing smirk played across her face. “What your fathers didn’t know is that the ban had been temporarily lifted so that they could attend.”

“You didn’t tell them?” Leru asked with wide eyes.

“It must have slipped my mind,” their surrogate grandmother replied with a rather odd tone in her voice. It was one that often accompanied rather funny parts of her stories.

The three children were perfectly aware that the old Gerudo wasn’t really their grandmother; however, they had always seen her as such. She had greeted them so warmly and entertained them while their parents were off doing whatever it was they had to attend to. During such times, she would tell them stories, play games with them, or ask them to tell her what sorts of adventures they had been on. She would also spoil them with small gifts and have the castle’s servants bring them sweets.

Of course, she wouldn’t let them have enough to cause an upset stomach.

If she was feeling up to it, she would take them out into the city. Unfortunately, such days were few and far between.

“They didn’t play the role very well,” the old woman mused, still wearing a small smirk. “Your father,” she said as she nodded to Leru and Alolu “would only whisper to your mother. He also had to repeatedly tell your father he wasn’t allowed to use arrows to get back at me.”

“Uncle Revali would never.”

“Believe it or not, your uncle had quite the temper back in the day.”

“You’re telling me,” Komali muttered.

The old woman laughed. “You’re your father’s son.”

The almost pouty expression faded from Komali’s face at the words. Grinning widely, he puffed his chest out proudly. Though they didn’t always get along, it was no secret that Komali looked up to his father more than anyone else. Granny Urbosa had probably given him the highest compliment she could have, even if it was meant to be a little teasing.

“What happened next?” Leru asked.

“They got caught.” Their grandmother laughed heartily at Leru’s gasp while Komali rolled his eyes, muttering something under his breath. Alolu couldn’t decide if she wanted to laugh or hide her face in embarrassment. “Each Gerudo vai spends years studying men and their behavior. It would have been nearly impossible for either of them to hide that fact.”

“So embarrassing,” Alolu murmured as she buried her face in her hands.

“Oh, they got over it quickly.”

“It helped that we got you back two days later.” The Zora girl looked over her shoulder to find her uncle lounging against the door frame, wings folded as he eyed Urbosa.

“Got her back?” Komali asked with a tilted head.

“Link and I dumped a bucket of water on her head.” 

Silence dominated the room until Leru finally spoke. “Uncle Revali… that was just mean.”

Revali looked taken aback as the small golden Zora looked at him disapprovingly while Komali and Alolu snickered quietly. Apparently, the younger of the two sisters hadn’t caught on to the fact that granny Urbosa had purposefully misled their fathers. Sometimes, Leru’s innocence was fun.

“You shouldn’t do that to an old lady.”

“She wasn’t -”

“I’ve always been an old lady,” their grandmother interrupted with a grin. “It was very devastating.”

Komali and Alolu no longer tried to hide their laughter as the Rito father found himself arguing with the golden Zora, who was supported by an old lady that feigned hurt. It wasn’t often that they got to see this side of Leru or Revali, but they were going to enjoy it completely. And maybe, they could even make a plan to get Uncle Revali back.


	14. Day 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why but I really want to do a Fate crossover with Age of Calamity

"It's easy… just draw and… release!" Again, the arrow missed the mark, just as every previous one had. Komali dropped his bow with a sigh as he began the unpleasant task of collecting his arrows. He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting when he found the makeshift training grounds in the small patch of woods outside the village. Obviously, it hadn't been used in years and was rather shoddily put together, but at least it was away from prying eyes.

It could be rather tough, being the child of one of the greatest archers who ever lived. Ever since his first primaries had come in, he'd had a number of instructors offer to take him under their wing, stating it would be an honor to train the child of _the_ Master Revali. The only one who had never made an offer was Teba, telling him that he was far better off learning from his father rather than anyone else.

At first, Komali had been flattered; however, it had quickly become rather stressful. Many instructors wouldn't leave him alone, even though he had tried to be open about not being terribly interested in archery. That wasn't to say that he wouldn't like to at least train a little but he wasn't sure he wanted to devote his life to practicing it.

But he was Revali's son. _Of course,_ he'd follow in his father's footsteps.

Finally, just hoping to be done with the whole thing, he'd picked an instructor that he found to be rather enjoyable. While he couldn't say his opinion on the whole thing had changed, he had found himself at least a bit excited. Maybe, he would be able to impress his father with his bowmanship.

Then, at his first training session, he left his instructor speechless. Not because he was blessed with natural talent. Oh no, it was quite the opposite.

He could barely nock an arrow, let alone loose it.

Even though the instructor had done his best to recover quickly, a heavy awkwardness had Fallen over everyone present.

Komali wanted nothing more than to excuse himself early; however, he knew that his parents expected more from him.

So he stayed, trying to hide just how pathetic he felt.

Afterward, he'd overheard a conversation between his mother and the instructor. His mother hadn't understood why the teacher was so baffled and out of sorts. Eventually, the man had to spell it out for her: he had not been expecting the son of _the_ Revali to be so talentless with a bow. In a move that surprised even Komali, she had told the instructor that his services would no longer be needed.

How humiliating.

Of course, the child was so frustrated and worried about how his father might respond that he had stolen away in an effort to develop some semblance of skill.

Of course, all he had really figured out how to do was send projectiles hurtling into empty space. It was something, but nowhere near what he'd been hoping for.

Finally collecting all the arrows, he trudged back to the clearing where his bow awaited him.

And there, he found his father.

The navy-feathered Rito looked around the makeshift range, inspecting every inch of it with a small, wistful smile.

"I shouldn't be so surprised to find you here," his father mused quietly as his emerald eyes focused on Komali.

The child stood, staring back. How had he been found? What was he supposed to say now?

"Your mother told me what happened."

"Of course she did," he grumbled quietly. Why did she have to tell him everything? Of course, now his father knew that he hadn't inherited a scrap of his talent.

He couldn't look his hero in the eye, so he stared down at his talons, scraping them through the dirt.

"Did I ever tell you about my first lessons with a bow?"

"No…"

He could imagine his father having folded his wings behind his back and pacing, just as he always did when telling Komali a story about his past.

"I was kicked out."

"What?!" Komali looked up to find his father wearing a bemused smile from where he sat, running a careful eye over his bow. That couldn't be right. Of all the stories he'd heard, that one had never cropped up. As far as anyone in the village had been concerned, their Champion may as well have been born with a bow in his hand.

"That's right. I was so angry and embarrassed that I built this range myself. I wanted to show them all that they were wrong about." The older Rito fell silent as he made a few adjustments to the bow before finally looking up to meet his eyes. "Do you actually want to learn how to use a bow?"

"Yes," Komali said. It wasn't exactly untrue; however, most of his interest now was in proving everyone that had seen his first attempts at archery wrong.

"Don't lie to me."

"Maybe… I don't know."

"I wouldn't expect you to," his father replied quietly as he set the bow on the ground. "You're still a fledgling and have years to figure it out."

That wasn't the response he'd been expecting. Seeing as his father had never talked to him about the whole thing, Komali had always thought he was expected to follow in his footsteps.

"What is it?"

"I just… I thought you'd be disappointed."

His father sized him up for a moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he motioned for the boy to join him. Komali settled in his lap, craning his neck back to look up at his father. "If you want to pick up a bow, that's fine. If you want to sing and play instruments like your mother and uncle, that's fine. If you want to help educate the next generation, that's fine as well. Whatever path you choose, I will be proud of you. All I expect is that you will give that path everything you have. Do you understand?"

"Everything I have?" the boy echoed quietly.

"Yes. Everything. Anything less is an insult to yourself."

Komali wasn't entirely sure he understood but he did feel much better. Even if he chose a different path than his father, at least he knew his father wouldn't be disappointed.

"Would you like to go home now? Your aunt Amali is making that wildberry pie you love."

"Could we… could we practice a little more before we go?" Maybe archery wouldn't be his thing, but it wouldn't hurt to try. Besides, if his father had started off as badly as he claimed, then he wouldn't judge the boy for struggling to get the hang of it. It also helped to know his mother had removed him from the class rather than being kicked out. If nothing else, at least he had that.

"Sure. Show me what you can do."


	15. Day 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An idea stemming from Lasting Ripples

_ "Mipha, dear, I believe you're missing a bangle." _

_ The Zora King's laughter echoed throughout the throne room as Mipha let out a sharp gasp, hands flying up to her jewelry.  _

_ Why was he just telling her now? _

_ Her searching hands found both bangles hanging firmly in place. _

_ "Forgive me, my dear. I couldn't help myself." Her father's smile widened slightly as he eyed her. "So tell me, why are you so worked up about this particular visit?" _

_ "Should I not be?" Mipha asked, hoping her father didn't notice the almost imperceptible stutter. "The Calamity has been vanquished, my brother can rest in peace, and two heroes are coming to pay their respects." _

_ "Well put. However, you did forget one other important factor." Her father leaned down, speaking in a tone only she could hear. "There is also the matter of a childhood crush." _

_ Mipha felt her face warm considerably, her face frozen in a most unprincess-like expression.  _

_ Her father sat back, laughing heartily as Zelda and Link were ushered into the throne room. _

The Zora Princess did her best to watch her charge carefully as she guided him through the streets of their city. It was difficult to strike a balance of not too fast and not too slow. Goddesses, why did Hylian’s have to have such oddly elongated legs? It could make walking with one so difficult, as their stride was so much longer than her own. She’d had to jog just to keep up with when they had gone to attack Vah Ruta.

Thankfully, the Hylian hero was more at ease this time. He was quite content to let her set the pace of their venture, or at least, he made no complaints known to her. 

Once again, the duo stopped as another small cluster of Zora greeted them. Mipha politely stepped back as they gathered around Link, thanking him for his efforts to save them and asking a few questions. The Hylian Champion answered each with only a few quiet words when a simple nod or shake of his head wouldn’t do.

While he was distracted, the Zora Princess took the opportunity to check her adornments, making sure that each was worn as properly as could be. It wouldn’t do to be improperly dressed, even if ever so slightly while hosting such an important guest.

Her hands flew down, clasping just above her waist as Link looked back at her. He politely excused himself from his audience and motioned silently for her to continue.

It… stung that he would speak to a random passerby but not her. Speaking to the members of the Bazz Brigade was understandable, as he’d been a member in his younger years. It was the Zora that he had no clear connection to that made her wonder what was wrong with her. He had greeted her with a nod and a small smile yet had made no attempt at conversation.

He hadn’t even brought a flower this time.

Had she done something to offend him?

Or had he simply caught on to how awkward she felt while around him?

She sent a fervent prayer to whatever deity was listening that he hadn’t caught on. It would be simply mortifying if he remembered any of their shared history…

Or had any inkling of what sorts of thoughts she had involving him.

Honestly, asking him to a candlelight dinner? Someone who barely remembered her? Someone she herself barely remembered?

Her father had been correct when he had mentioned her girlhood crush but that was no excuse to be having such thoughts.

She felt herself starting to overheat again as she realized just how far she’d allowed the tide of her thoughts to carry her. The idea of slapping herself in an attempt to recenter herself did cross her mind; however, so did Link’s potential reactions.

So, she fought internally to regain control of herself as she guided him toward the exit that would lead to the Veiled Falls.

_ “I take it that you also wish to name a new Champion.” _

_ Mipha looked up at her father, concerned for him as she heard the hard edge in his voice. It was unusual for him to add to the weight of a conversation rather than alleviating it through humor. Of course, she understood entirely. After learning what Vah Ruta was to her family, she had come to want nothing to do with the Divine Beast. She did not envy her father’s predicament in the slightest.” _

_ “I would.” The Hylian Princess glanced at Mipha before returning her gaze to the king. “I understand that this must be quite… difficult for you. Shall we give you some time to-” _

_ “That will not be necessary.” Her father sighed. “You may investigate Vah Ruta and we will work with you to select a new Champion; however,” he said, annunciating the word sharply, “my daughter is not to be considered.” _

_ Zelda agreed readily, looking quite relieved by the decision. “Link, there are a number of things for the king and me to discuss. I would like it if you were to take this opportunity to catch up with your old friends.” _

_ The Champion had looked ready to make an argument, but a firm look from Zelda was all it took to quell any and all arguments. _

_ “If I may.” Muzu, who had yet to say a word through the entirety of the conversation, finally stepped forward. He bowed deeply to express his gratitude when Dorephan nodded to him. “During the commotion of your last visit, there was no time for you to visit Prince Sidon’s grave. Perhaps it would do you some good to pay respects to an old friend.” _

_ Link was unresponsive for several seconds before giving a slow nod. _

_ “I think it would also be appropriate for Lady Mipha to show him the way.” _

_ “An excellent idea,” the king agreed. He turned to his daughter expectantly. _

_ “It would be my pleasure.” _

At first, the prospect of being alone with him had been a nerve-wracking thought. Now, as they drew near to the small shrine that was nestled next to the glittering water’s next to the Veiled Falls, she found it was the furthest thing from her mind.

“You will have to excuse the damage,” Mipha murmured quietly. “Ruta’s rampage did significant damage to the Domain and surrounding area.”

Link nodded as he approached the marker. Resting his hand on the gravestone, he read the inscription quietly before bowing his head. “I’m sorry friend.”

Mipha watched, uncertain of how she felt. To see him show such reverence for her brother’s grave warmed her heart but it also hurt so terribly. Her brother, so vibrant, full of life, and a beacon of joy wherever he went, had died far too young. And now, it fell to them to carry on in his place. She hurt for herself but also for his friend as well. Silly crushes aside, she knew that his passing must have been difficult for Link as well.

Eventually, the Hylian opened his eyes, tilting his head as he noticed something at the grave’s base. Following his gaze, Mipha noticed a small patch of white daisies.

Link stared at them for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face. He must have reached a decision as he nodded to himself before reaching down to pluck a single flower from the patch. 

Standing, he returned to Mipha, holding the small, vulnerable flower out to her. “It’s from your brother.”


	16. Day 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heh. More brain rot for you

Mipha stared down at the materials that had been sorted into various piles across her desk.

Perhaps she had bitten off more than she could chew this time around. It sounded so easy in her father's stories. A Princess just waited until her white scale grew in, wove it into some armor, then presented it to their beloved. 

Simple enough.

Until Mipha realized she had a couple of rather large issues.

She didn't know the first thing about crafting armor.

And she couldn't imagine how she was supposed to go about collecting Link’s measurements. What made an already difficult task more troublesome was that Link had practically grown up in the Domain. If she weren’t careful, he’d have it figured out. Mayhaps she should offer to heal him again? It wasn’t unusual for her to offer to check him over once or twice during a visit, though that didn’t answer the question of how she was supposed to measure him.

Really, it would only get his tunic off (not that she was complaining). It wasn’t like she hadn’t seen his bare torso before; however, his alien design was quite…

The Zora Princess nearly slapped herself before she could entertain that thought any farther. A few of her friends had already made snide comments about where her gaze often lingered. She most certainly did not need to give those comments any merit. Well… any more merit.

Maybe she could ask him to help her develop a new healing technique that would allow her to remove scars. She had been studying car tissue recently to develop such a technique if it were possible. Of course, even if Link agreed, that then raised the question of how accurate hand measurements would be.

Covering her slightly reddened face with her hands, Mipha told herself repeatedly that she was overthinking the whole thing. Inaccurate measurements were better than no measurements and she was trying to help him out, in the long run.

As the Zora Princess continued her planning, she was unaware of the fact that was not only speaking out loud but that she also was not alone.

Her unannounced guest waited for her to notice him; however, eventually, her guest, now informed of her intent, wandered away.

Finally ordering her thoughts, Mipha picked through her supplies as she tried to mentally see what kind of armor would nice. Having difficulty with the task, she resorted to pulling a few spare squares of parchment toward herself. 

During her years training with Seggin, the old veteran had insisted that she take up a habit that would help to develop her precision and dexterity. Not understanding the purpose of it at the time, she had opted to take up drawing. While she was nowhere near as skilled as the various artisans that lived in the Domain, she was talented enough to recreate what she saw in her mind’s eye on the page.

She slaved away for several hours, drawing out several designs, picking her favorites, then refining them. Eventually, she sat back, staring at her chosen design.

Hylia above, this was happening. She was really going through with this.

With her decision made, her unruly nerves settled down. There were still so many unanswered questions; however, she had a plan and that gave her some measure of comfort.

“Hey, big sis!”

And then her heart skipped a beat.

“Sidon,” she greeted warmly, doing her best to ignore her hammering heart. Why did it have to respond that way when it only missed a single beat? Besides, why was she so nervous around her sweet and innocent younger brother?

"I know you're busy but I wanted to give you something," he replied as he ran across her room, clutching a sheet of parchment.

How thoughtful. It was probably another one of his notes that he liked to leave her from time to time.

Taking the parchment in hand, it wasn't long before a thoughtful frown tugged at her lips.

"Sidon… what are these?"

"Link's measurements," he replied innocently. "I came to visit you earlier and you were talking to yourself about needing them."

Oh, Farore, what all had he heard?

"You seemed nervous, so I wanted to help!"

Mipha wanted to find the deepest submerged cavern, curl up, and die. 

The child frowned thoughtfully. "The measurements he gave were weird, so I had to ask Muzu for help." Suddenly, his eyes widened as he came back to the present. "Oh right! You're busy!" The child races to her door, calling over his shoulder, "I hope you make Link the coolest armor ever!"

Mipha stood speechless, unsure of how to feel about what had happened in the last thirty seconds.

"Oh! Muzu wants to see you right away!" Sidon said as he leaned back in. His message given, the energetic prince disappeared yet again.

Mipha stood for a moment before sinking into her chair. Merciful Hylia, what she would have given to start the whole day anew.


	17. Day 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lipha, Lipha, Lipha, Lipha!
> 
> All I can hear is that in the Unus Annus chant.

A variety of Zora all stopped, petrified as they watched the near-dead Hylian stumble into their city. 

One rogue Guardian would have been dangerous enough, though nothing Link wouldn't have been able to handle on his own. While the Master Sword couldn’t cleave through a Guardian’s chassis like it could a monster’s hide, Link’s strength and speed more than made up for it.

What should have been a manageable fight quickly turned potentially fatal when the other three Guardians showed up. Link had come out on top….barely. Thankfully, he was already on his way to Zora's Domain. It was still a trek, but at least he was close by. Otherwise, he wasn’t sure he would have made it.

He continued limping through the city as many people he had grown up around watched. He couldn't blame them at all. He must have looked a mess.

Finally, the Hylian heard some shouting for Lady Mipha. Regardless, he grit his teeth and continued making his way slowly through the Domain. He reasoned that, if he was still capable of moving, he may as well make his way to the infirmary. Whether he made it there himself or not, that would ultimately be his destination. May as well save someone a little trouble, especially if that someone was Mipha.

Hylia knew the young woman took enough on as it was. He felt quite bad for needing her healing again; however, the guilt was mildly mitigated by the potential disaster he had averted. If he hadn’t found the Guardians when he did, there was no telling how much damage they might have caused.

At least he was the only one that had gotten hurt.

Feeling the pain and exhaustion starting to catch up, the Hylian devoted his attention to putting one foot in front of the other. Right. Left. Right. Then left again. Allowing his subconscious to pilot him, Link thought of nothing else than the pair of legs supporting him.

The sound of his name disrupted the dull rhythm he had developed to keep himself moving. Link grinned sheepishly as he saw Mipha running for him, her sash and jewelry swinging around wildly.

He knew he was in for a lecture.

He then fell to his knees, fighting to stay upright. 

The Zora Princess caught him before he could collapse entirely. As he looked up at her, barely lucid, he couldn’t help but think she was the prettiest thing he’d seen. It occurred to him that he shouldn’t be thinking such things of a princess but he couldn’t bring himself to care. The thought of her beauty didn’t make sense to him in context but he was well aware that his lucidity was fading by the second.

He couldn’t even understand what her normally soft voice was telling him.

The red and white of her face and amber of her eyes bled together as his vision swam, eventually fading into the darkness.

The first coherent thought Link managed when his eyes opened was that what he saw was not red and white with soft amber orbs. Instead, it was a calming turquoise ceiling with the crest of the Zora Royal Family resting comfortably in the center of the dome. The tri-crescent moons were a deep-sea blue standing out boldly against their surroundings.

He looked at the ceiling, familiarity striking him. He wondered where he had seen it before. Certainly not in the infirmary.

His ears twitched as he heard a soft scratching. Looking over, he noticed Mipha sitting at a desk, leafing through papers with a quill in hand as a luminous stone rested nearby. To her left was an armoire, and he could hear the gurgling of a small fountain from somewhere nearby.

Suddenly, everything clicked into place. Rather than being taken to the infirmary, he had been brought to Mipha’s private quarters.

What had she been thinking? Didn’t she know how her people would react, let alone the council?

Biting back a groan, the Hylian pushed himself up, trying to make as little sound as possible. His shield arm could barely support weight, his ribs were creaking, and his abdominals screamed at him almost as badly as if they’d been punctured by an arrow… again. He must have been worse off than he thought. 

“Do not move another inch.” Mipha was glowering at him from over her shoulder.

Taking her words literally, Link remained immobile. He knew she meant for him to lay back down; however, he had no intention of doing so. He still had a message to deliver and wanted to be sure that the Demon Sergeant was at least aware of what had happened.

He also thought it was for the best that he left her quarters as quickly as possible.

As though reading his mind, the Zora Princess crossed the room, placing her hand on his chest and forcing him back down.

“I know you have matters you need to see to but you are still hurt. You will stay here for at least a little longer.” She frowned at him disapprovingly as he refused to acquiesce. “My father commands it.”

Link balked at that. If Dorephan ordered it, then there was little he could do other than obey. Both he and the Royal Family considered himself to be a Zora Citizen. He was as bound by Dorephan’s word as he was King Rhoam’s.

Sighing in resignation, the Hylian relaxed back into the waterbed.

Mipha, however, did not move. A comforting blue glow lit her face as her healing powers sprang to life, helping to alleviate much of the remaining aches and pains. He watched her carefully, noting the slight pursing of her lips, the slight frown, and the unwavering focus of her eyes. Something was very wrong.

After a few minutes, she retracted her hand and straightened. Link shifted experimentally, testing the effects of the healing session on his body. He still hurt but, thanks to the efforts of a dear friend, he was feeling much better.

“I’m sorry, but that’s all I can manage for now.” Mipha, on the other hand, looked and sounded exhausted beyond belief. How she had managed two intense healing sessions in between her royal duties was beyond him. She had to be the strongest and most determined person he had ever met. Even more so than Zelda. 

The Zora princess reached over for a chair resting by the bedside and pulled it over, sitting down as she gazed at him. She watched him, using his own greatest weapon against him until he could do nothing but fidget under her unrelenting stare. “Link…” she finally said softly “what am I to do with you?”

He said nothing.

She fell silent again, seeming to choose her next words with care. “I know that lecturing you about your recklessness will do nothing…” Mipha sighed, looking utterly forlorn as she set a hand on his shoulder. “To be quite honest, I think that side of you is a part of what makes you you.”

Leaning back, she closed her eyes and tilted her head toward the ceiling. “I know I cannot stop you from doing what you feel you must. Just… please remember that you have people who would be devastated by your loss. Your friends among the knights, Daruk, Princess Zelda, my father, Sidon… and me.” The last two words were said so quietly he almost missed them. “So please, try to be more careful,” she pleaded, glancing back down at him with a weak smile.

Link nodded. “I’m sorry,” he muttered softly. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that he had people awaiting him on the other side of his present conflicts. He would do better to remember, just as she had asked. He knew from experience that expressing herself was always difficult, and he was loath to dishonor that by not at least making the effort to do as she asked.

She relaxed slightly, though he could still see the exhaustion and sadness in her eyes.

“You will stay here for the night, at least,” she stated, her tone allowing no argument. “In the morning, after I have healed you some more, we shall see about letting you return to your duties.”

“You?” While he didn’t exactly care to stay in her quarters, he would agree so long as it didn’t put her out.

“The floor will do,” she said simply.

Link shook his head.

“You are not taking the-”

“No.”

“Link,” she started in exasperation. As she took a moment to calm herself, Link reached over and patted the space next to him on the bed. Mipha’s eyes widened, a furious blush reddening the white of her face. “No! I couldn’t possibly -”

The Hylian scooted over, making enough room for her to lay down and still leave a somewhat respectable gap between them.

Mipha still looked horribly conflicted; however, a determined frown from him was all it took to convince her. “V-very well. If you’re sure it’s okay.”

He nodded again, not letting up until she had settled down, fidgeting as always when she was nervous. Likely, she had believed that he would refuse to rest until she relented, which was an accurate guess. He could be as stubborn as… well, Mipha.

“Night,” he murmured quietly.

“G-good night!” 

He hid a frown as he pondered the high pitch and the stammer. Perhaps she was simply nervous about what others might think if they were to walk in on them sleeping side by side.

It wasn’t terribly important. He was just glad that he had managed to convince her to settle in comfortably without too much argument. She could be far too kind for her own good sometimes. Pondering her nature, his gaze drifted to the ceiling. For as long as he had known her, she had been so terribly kind to everyone around her, even those she did not care for. So willing to give them grace when others would have written him off.

Just as she had him.

To say he felt indebted to her was an understatement. The Zora Princess had played a large role in him having a home and friends to fill his childhood days. Without her, he doubted he would have even made it to his teenage years.

Feeling her eyes on him, Link turned to look at her. Mipha stiffened, once again stammering out a quick apology before rolling over to face away from him. 

Smiling fondly, his eyes returned to the ceiling as he felt himself relax. Hylia above, he had never realized how tired he was these days. 

With a sense of peace he hadn’t known in years, the Hylian Champion once again drifted off.

The first thing he was aware of upon waking was an unusual weight on his chest. Opening his eyes, he found his vision filled with bright red scales. Link couldn’t help but wonder why he was having this dream again. Though he still held an attraction to the Zora Princess, he had long since come to terms that nothing could come of it. So, he had spent months trying to rid himself of the fantasies he’d been entertaining for so long.

If only they’d leave him alone.

Even so, he allowed himself to enjoy the scene a moment longer before biting the inside of his cheek, as he always did to wake himself up from such dreams.

Nothing changed.

He could taste blood as he bit down harder but still, nothing changed. The weight, the scales, and the sound of her easy breathing were all still there. Feeling his heart rate quicken, it took Link a moment to process that he was very much awake and that he and Mipha were in very close proximity.

Using his training to refrain from waking her with a fear response, Link carefully searched his mind, finally recollecting how he had wound up in this position in the first place. He had been injured. Mipha had brought him here and insisted he stay the night and he had insisted that she sleep next to him.

Of course, as he remembered it, she had been facing away from him; however, that had evidently changed at some point.

Now, the question was what should he do. As much as he enjoyed the position, he did consider waking her up. Of course, she may have chosen this position to keep him in place. She knew he tried to be conscientious of those around him so it was possible that she meant to keep in place using this exact method.

Sighing in defeat, Link eyed his surroundings, looking for something that might occupy his time. Eventually, his eyes settled on a small book on Mipha’s nightstand. With great care, he pushed himself up enough to reach for the book. Settling back down, he thumbed through it.

Most of it was of little interest to him as it dealt with ancient, mythological beings. Flipping through a variety of pages, he would stop and read a few paragraphs at a time whenever he saw a depiction of a deity or monster that caught his attention. It wasn’t until he stumbled across one image that he found himself fascinated.

The creature in question looked very much like a large fish with an extended snout. What gave him pause was the tailfin that graced the creature. Holding the book to the side, Link peered around it, craning his head awkwardly. It took a few moments of straining to see but before long, he was able to see that Mipha’s cranial fin was identical.

Now quite interested, Link returned to the book. Most of the history and beliefs surrounding the creature went over his head; however, there were a few things he could comprehend.

The creature was known for jumping above the sea gracefully in large schools. Supposedly, sightings were not only beautiful but something that would draw people from hundreds of miles for just the hope of a glimpse of them.

His eyes glazed over slightly as he considered what he had read. Again, he looked at the drawing, trying to imagine such a creature.

All he could see was Mipha. Unable to entirely cast the image of her gracefully leaping out of the water. 

Would he have traveled hundreds of miles to see such a thing?

Yes. He would have traveled to the ends of the world if he had to.

Shaking his head slightly, he returned his attention to further myths surrounding the beast as he switched hands, the one that had been holding the book growing sore.

According to legend, the creature was said to have been blessed with healing powers, and that wanderers who happened across them might be cured of any ailments. A small smile danced across his face as he once again thought of the woman curled atop him. He knew that, despite the council’s best efforts, news of Mipha’s healing abilities had spread throughout the Kingdom. It wasn’t unusual for those in need to travel in the hopes they might have an audience with her.

With every word, it seemed more and more that the legends were being told with the Zora Princess in mind. The resemblance was uncanny, though Link was grateful for it. Not only was it keeping his mind occupied but it was bringing so many cherished thoughts to the forefront of his mind.

Link’s focus broke as he heard the Zora woman take a deep breath, sighing contentedly. His eyes widened as he glanced around the book he held, finally noticing what his resting hand was up to. Maybe it was the warm fondness he felt for her while reading about the mythical creatures. Maybe it was his restlessness from being in bed for who knew how long. Or, maybe he had allowed the brick wall he had erected around his mind to start crumbling now that he was home.

Whatever the case, it did not change the fact that his hand had worked its way beneath her cranialfin and was gently running itself along the sensitive underside. Silently reprimanding himself for his lapse in control, he removed his hand as gingerly as possible. 

Honestly, what was wrong with him?

The Hylian Champion grimaced as Mipha grumbled something in her sleep. A scarlet-scaled hand appeared, searching for the source of her displeasure. From her angle, she couldn’t quite reach his hand.

Shifting atop him, she continued her discontented murmurings as her hand renewed its search, with her growing tenser and tenser by the second. After a few more seconds of searching, she finally found his wrist and, gripping it with surprising force, guided his hand gently back to where it had been.

Link, unsure of what the right thing to do was, went with his gut instinct. 

Mipha sighed again, murmuring in approval as he gently massaged the underside of her tailfin. Maybe it wasn’t the wisest call, but he would face whatever consequences would come when she awakened. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be too upset.

Trying to distract himself once again, this time even more fervently than before, Link returned his attention to the pages. 

Finally, it came to romance. Mindful of his companion, the Hylian Champion refrained from fidgeting uncomfortably. While the section was rather sparse comparatively, he did learn that those couples who were blessed enough to see them experienced long and prosperous unions.

Again, Link found himself lost in thought as he tried to imagine the scene. This time, he was able to successfully imagine a red-scaled fish leaping elegantly out of the water. He did this as, beside him, Mipha stood, pointing jubilantly at the creatures. It was a rather childish fantasy but he still entertained it for as long as he could before returning to the pages.

Finding that he had reached the end of the being’s descriptions, Link returned to the beginning of the page, once again reading through all of it. Doing his best to internalize everything surrounding the creature, Link remained blissfully unaware of his companion, who had long since awakened and was stuck in a purgatory between mortification and fulfillment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I blame the-quiet-sea for this one. If you're stuck in Lipha hell, I probably don't need to explain any more than that.
> 
> Edit: Thanks to EchoGekkos for doing the betaing. I appreciate it and all the work you do more than you know


	18. Day 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I did it. I wrote for a pairing that wasn't Lipha

In his rather short life, Revali had faced some incredibly nerve-wracking, harrowing, and downright fatal circumstances. The Rito archer had been shot at, burned, electrified, cut, and even knocked out of the sky. He was used to facing such things with a facade of bravado and self-assurance but this time, he truly was struggling to keep it together. 

And all over a single question. 

Of course, it was a rather large, life-changing question. He'd gotten so bent out of shape about it that he'd had to fly to Zora's Domain just to ask Mipha how she had managed it. And to have some work done on a special gift.

All she had said was that once he started speaking it would get easier. It may not calm his nerves entirely but all he needed to do was get the first sentence out.

Dissatisfied with the answer, he'd traveled to Hyrule Castle, where Urbosa threatened to put him in a headlock and drag him back to the Village while Daruk looked utterly confused. The Goron simply didn't understand what there was to be nervous about while the Gerudo was almost upset that he was allowing his insecurities to get the better of him. Finally, after a long, uncomfortable conversation, the woman reminded him that there was no shame in receiving a no, only in failing to ask.

Then, she threatened him with a lightning bolt and another headlock. 

Still unsure of what to do, Revali had returned to Rito Village, trying to prepare himself for the worst possible outcome. Really, his pride was the only thing in danger, right?

For some, inexplicable reason, the thought was only moderately comforting to him.

Still, every step he took through the Village was excruciating. He didn't slow his pace in the slightest. In fact, his steps only quickened as he determined that he would simply get it over with rather than dragging it out for far too long. However, he was sure to check on the small gift he was hiding in his wing. All of his efforts would amount to nothing if he destroyed it in his haste.

Reaching his love’s little abode, Revali paused outside, gathering what courage he could. Setting his shoulders back, he called out softly. “Medli?”

“Come in!” she called back. 

Normally the sound of her voice was enough to make him smile. Now, it only served to renew his fear.

Stepping into her home, he was pleasantly surprised to find him cleaner than normal. That wasn’t to say it was as tidy as he would have kept it but, for her, it was a remarkable change.

“I’m sorry it’s still a bit of a mess,” she said as she looked around with a frown. “I know that we planned to have dinner here but time got away from me and then Genli wanted to talk about some things she’s having a problem with and…” Shaking her head, she quieted and finally really looked at him. She started to smile; however, it faded before it even had a chance to form. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Revali sighed as he stepped further into the one-room home, “there’s something I wanted to discuss with you.” How did she manage to constantly disarm him? Medli didn’t even have to do anything and he found himself unable to feign the blustery confidence that he could with every other inhabitant of Hyrule. Instead, he was like a chick learning to fly, awkwardly flapping his jaw in an attempt to say something smooth. Brushing aside his frustration, he persevered even as he heard the unsteadiness in his own voice. “Do you remember when I left for the mountains a few weeks back?”

“Yes…” He really wished he had doubled his efforts to practice. His lack of confidence not only made it difficult to speak but now it was starting to affect her as well. She appeared as nervous as he felt, though he imagined it was for a very different reason. For once, he hoped that her optimism and ability to take things out of context would help her jump to the correct conclusion. The idea that she might be preparing herself for hurt did serve as motivation to continue though.

Just keep talking, as Mipha had said.

“I told you I was going to check on some monster activity. That was only half true,” he confessed. In reality, he had gone in search of golden feathers, which could only be gathered from Kargarocs. It had been tradition for suitors to gather such feathers for the one they intended to marry and craft some ornament for the recipient to wear. The practice had all but died out long before he’d been born but he knew how fascinated Medli was by such things. She had even shared, a bit shyly, that she had found herself imagining someone giving her such a gift. “Really, I was gathering the feathers to make this.”

Without much thought, Revali held his wing up, showing her his offering. 

In his wing was a smooth metal pin. The rounded center was made of the Zora's preferred metal with a few precious gems inlaid. From the center, five golden feathers extended outward like flower petals.

"Oh!" Medli breathed as the object held her gaze. She stepped forward, leaning every which way to look at it from every possible angle. "It's beautiful! But…" The mix of hope and longing that single word carried was unexpected. Hopefully, he would be able to help her fulfill her desire.

"Before you say anything, may I ask that you allow me to finish before you answer?"

"... Yes." 

Revali took a deep breath, steeling himself. “Would you-”

“Yes!”

The Rito stared at her uncomprehendingly. Hadn’t they agreed that she would wait until he had actually voiced the question to answer him? “Uh…” He couldn’t say he was upset. In fact, he was trying to keep a grin from making a complete loon of him. It was rather difficult, to say the least. Despite the thrill of receiving the answer he’d been hoping for, he still wanted to do it right.

“Sorry!” she exclaimed. “I’ll wait this time.”

“Would you -”

“Yes!” she interrupted for a second time.

Revali smiled weakly at his beloved. “You can’t give me a proper answer if I don’t ask properly…”

“I know, I know!” Medli seemed incapable of calming down or speaking quietly. Revali had no doubt that they would be visited by a number of nosy neighbors and family in a few short minutes. “I promise I’ll wait!” To punctuate the promise, she wrapped her hands around her beak.

He waited just a moment longer, being sure that she really would be quiet. “Medli, would you-” already, the young woman in question was nodding, her eyes sparkling more than he had ever seen “- marry me?”

“Yes!” She rushed forward, throwing her wings around him, forcing the Rito to catch the offering. He returned the embrace, finally able to relax for the first time that day.

A warm glow bloomed in his chest as she nuzzled him, nestling her head between his head and shoulder. He leaned in, enjoying the closeness that he so seldom had. It was refreshing while oddly restful, easing some part of him that had hurt for as long as he could remember.

Eventually, they separated, giving him the opportunity to check on the pin he'd commissioned from Dento.

Thank Hylia it was still intact.

"Help me?" Medli asked bashfully. 

"Of course." He did so carefully so as to not to pull her hair loose.

She stepped back, gingerly reaching up to check the flower pin. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful."

The young woman absolutely glowed at the word. And then, like a whirlwind, she rushed around. "There's so much to do! We have to set a date, send invitations to Mipha, Urbosa, and the others, and-" she continued rambling on the edge of incoherence as she bustled around. "We need to let Kass and Amali know right away!"

Without giving him a chance to answer, she wrapped her wing around his and pulled him toward the door.

So much for a quiet night in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently rediscovered my old Tumblr. That was a mistake


	19. Day 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is where it starts getting hard. I was so unmotivated and distractible today, you would not believe it. But, I did it.
> 
> Also, this was something only briefly alluded to in Era's epilogue

"Are the greaves really necessary?"

"I've seen your footwork while training with Link, Feathers."

Revali grumbled under his breath as he stepped forward, holding a wing out.

"Good, you know the first step," the Gerudo said approvingly as she took his wing. "Now, wrap your other wing around me."

"You must be -"

"Ask Link how much I joke about these sorts of things," she interrupted sternly. Leave it to her fellow Champion to wait until the last minute to ask for help in learning an art that took years to master. 

Now, all he had was a week. At best, she might be able to help him progress from hopeless to simply dreadful. Granted, that would do nothing for his partner, but that was an issue that could wait for another time. However, if he refused to cooperate, then onlookers would have a wedding and a show. Though the thought amused her in some capacity, she did genuinely want to help her fellow Champion succeed, especially since he had humbled himself enough to ask her of all people for help.

“Now, wrap your wing around me,” she commanded again.

Revali complied, refusing to make eye contact with her as he glared over her shoulder.

Evidently, he thought sulking would help him develop the skills he needed.

With an overdramatic sigh, Urbosa set her free hand on the small of his back. “She’ll wrap her wing around you as well,” she clarified as he shot her a look. “Now, step this way.” It was rather difficult, trying to lead him through the steps of a dance she was only vaguely familiar with, all the while guiding from the follower’s perspective. Thankfully, the principles of dancing were the same, regardless of race (at least, from what she’d seen. She had yet to see a Zora dance but that would probably change soon enough).

In the middle of their third step, which was a long, sweeping turn, Urbosa felt a rather violent tug on her calf. Revali stumbled, nearly sending them both crashing to the ground. The Gerudo, having been expecting such an occasion, managed to plant her feet and steady them both.

“Yes… the greaves are necessary.”

“You don’t have to gloat,” he muttered as he straightened and readjusted the placement of his wings.

“I’m not gloating, though if you’d like for me to start…”

“I think I’ll pass.”

“Shame,” she sighed in mock resignation. With a playful wink, she asked “ready to try again?”

“Yes.”

They started over again, with Urbosa talking him through the core idea of the dance. “When flying, do you use short, uncertain flaps?”

“Absolutely not. We do need to catch the air.”

“Then why are you taking short, uncertain steps?”

The Rito angled his head, considering her with a single eye. “Can… can we slow down a moment?”

“I think that would be best.”

With an unspoken agreement, the two once again returned to their starting position. “Long step… good!” she said approvingly as the Rito took a more intentional step, watching her feet carefully so he might follow along. The woman was well aware that it was taking far longer than he would have liked; however, he was at least learning the steps. From there, they had something to build off of.

Going through the routine a few times, she finally stopped for a moment. “How do you feel so far?”

“Ridiculous but… I can at least grasp the concept.”

“No, you don’t. Not yet,” she laughed. “Dancing isn’t really about looking fancy. This is about expressing yourself and your affection, yes?”

“...”

“You sound exactly like Link.”

She nearly doubled over at the expression that crossed his face. “Loosen up this time. This is an art form that requires your whole body, not just your feet.”

Revali grumbled something under his breath before giving himself the barest shake. “Let’s try again,” he sighed.

Urbosa smiled slightly as she felt some of the tension he’d been carrying leave his body. It wasn’t enough, but progress was progress. As they worked through the steps, she continued giving him light coaching. “Let your feet carry you… let your legs and hips pull your upper body along.” He was still struggling to let go; however, with every small word of praise, he relaxed just a tad more. “Good,” she said again as Revali had finally loosened enough for his torso to follow through on their turns. “As we speed up, the air will start catching your feathers during those turns. It will show your audience the elegance of a Rito.”

She couldn’t help but laugh when he overdid it during the next turn. “Not too much. Don’t force it.”

He withdrew a bit but he continued on, taking every bit of coaching she gave him. As the hours passed, Revali stopped complaining as much or growling when she teased him or gave him direction. It pleased her as it was the first inklings of the Rito allowing himself to be lost in the steps. If she didn’t know better, she might have thought he was starting to enjoy himself.

Eventually, Urbosa’s free time for the day came to an end, though she was certain to teach him how to properly send his partner off. As she left, she stopped in the door and studied him over her shoulder. “I’m proud of you, Feathers.”


	20. Day 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what brain rot you get today

Link swam downward, holding out a luminous stone in an attempt to illuminate his surroundings. At his current depth, however, his surroundings swallowed the light whole. He now wished that he had taken Sidon up on his offer to accompany him to the bottom of the lake below Zora’s Domain. During his years living among the aquatic race, he had come to learn that they had small, sensitive nerve endings that could detect minute changes in water currents. Even if Sidon was unable to see any further than he, at least he’d have an idea if something was creeping up on them.

It was too late to turn back now.

He had struggled to wait for the waypoint from Ruta for far too long as it was. As soon as the Divine Beast had used its power to send him to the entrance of the Domain, Link had pulled out the Sheikah Slate and stared at the map. The minutes had dragged on as he waited for the appearance of a small, yellow dot. He had waited for so long that not only had he been discovered by a few stray Zora in the middle of the night but Sidon had heard of his return and came to personally escort him to the throne room. Of course, the Prince’s definition of “escort” had been more like “dragged unwillingly before the king.”

It wasn’t that the Hylian Champion hadn’t wanted to see more of the royal family; however, there was something, or rather, someone that occupied his thoughts far more.

As fate would have it, the Slate had notified him of a new area of interest to investigate. Even though the King had been in the midst of a speech in his honor, he had left right away, not even taking the time to explain why he left with such haste. Sidon and Muzu both had attempted to bring him back; however, Link had a mission. One that no one, not even a deity, could deter him from.

He was so prepared to charge headfirst that he had almost dove into the lake with no real plan to reach the bottom. That was when Kodah, an old friend, had offered him a special trinket that would allow him to breathe underwater. In an effort to spur on their failing inn, which had fallen on hard times due to Ruta’s rampage, she had partnered with Marot in an attempt to drum up ideas to attract customers.

One such idea being the creation of items that would not only allow Hylians to swim more effectively but breathe underwater as well. There were still a variety of hoops the inn’s purveyor would have to jump through in order to start advertising the experience but she was certain that King Dorephan wouldn’t mind if Link were to use it to explore their sacred waters.

Only taking a few seconds to don the mask, Link wasted no time in diving off the edge of the city and racing toward the bottom of the lake.

After what had felt like hours, Link finally reached the bottom of the lake. Holding the glowing stone close to the muddy bottom, Link crawled along the lakebed, keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of Sheikah markings. There was a time that he would have thought it was impossible for them to reach environments such as this but he had long since lost his surprise for such things. It wasn’t difficult for him to believe that they had created devices that allowed them to operate even at the bottom of a lake.

Really, his greatest concern was whether or not he’d even be able to see whatever markings they had left behind. In the previous three cases, there had been little to indicate the presence of a shrine, though he supposed that it did make sense. They had been built to protect a vulnerable inhabitant, after all.

The murky depths gave nothing away, with mud, decaying bodies of fish, and various kinds of plant life obscuring the lakebed.

Link maintained his patience though, searching every inch of his surroundings carefully.

It was times like this that he wished even more fervently that Zelda was traveling with him again. The Hylian Princess, from what he could recall, had a penchant for finding the traces left behind by the ancient tribe. And she was particularly skilled at developing theories for their uses.

That being said, she wasn’t a particularly strong swimmer. It probably would have been far too difficult for her to make it down to the bottom anyway.

Eventually, after exploring a relatively small area, Link found what he had been looking for. In an alcove underneath a large boulder, there was a pedestal with a faint orange glow. 

Swimming over as quickly as he could, the Hylian Champion set the Slate on the pedestal and waited impatiently for it to open the entrance.

He had never noticed how long it took for the machinery to work.

This time, the rumbling of the door was so painful that Link was forced to cover his ears, leaving him unprepared for the current that swept him into the hole the door had once covered.

His once dark surroundings were now illuminated as the now familiar blue of Sheikah glyphs surrounded him on all sides. Again, he was forced to slam his hands over his ears as the door shut above him. The sensory overload he had experienced in such a short time left him dazed and unaware of the fact that the water was draining away quickly.

As he touched down on the floor, he sunk to his hands and knees, tearing the mask off and fighting the urge to vomit as his nausea reached its zenith. He remained where he was, taking several deep breaths as his mind finally caught up with the rapid changes that had overwhelmed it.

Looking up, Link came face to face with a small, egg-shaped Guardian watching him with a single eye. The small mechanical being whistled excitedly as he climbed to its feet, jumping up in place before turning away sharply and bolting through a nearby doorway. 

A sharp whistle sounded from the next room as Link was slow to follow. Now that he was here, he couldn’t help but entertain the possibility that something had gone wrong. What if something had gone wrong? What if she hadn’t made it?

He knew the fears were irrational, but they still tugged at him, wearing him down before he’d even reached the shrine’s main room. Of course, he wasn’t just concerned about whether or not she had survived. The odds were quite in her favor, which helped to comfort him somewhat and spurred him back into action.

Really, his main concern was whether or not he was prepared to see the lack of recognition in her eyes. It hadn’t been the worst thing to see in Revali’s eyes, but Daruk and Urbosa had stung a bit. 

And none of them had meant nearly as much to him as the Zora Princess had.

Still, he needed to see her again, make sure she was alive and relatively well. He was willing to give up the future he desired with her if it meant that she was assured a second chance. He was even willing to lose the version of her he had come to know.

He steeled himself. He would suffer being forgotten for her sake. He would endure, as he always had. And there was a chance that she would fall for him again. He just needed to have courage and fortitude.

Entering the main room, the little Guardian scuttled over to a pedestal, pointing to it with one of its mechanical feet. It chirped insistently; however, Link ignored it for a moment as he walked over to the shallow pool in the center of the room. Within it lay the reason he had traveled as far as he had.

Mipha lay, sleeping peacefully, just as the rest of the Champions had. Link gazed at her, drinking in the sight of her. Though she lacked her jewelry and sash, she still stood out among all of the women he’d ever seen, Zora or otherwise.

Finally, the Hylian’s gaze was torn away from the Zora as the little Guardian whistled yet again. Knowing the part he was supposed to play, Link approached the terminal and placed the Slate atop it. He ignored the message that scrolled across the Slate, instead watching impatiently as the fluid that kept her suspended drained away.

He felt himself relax as he heard her take her first breath and witnessed her chest rise and fall. Amber eyes fluttered open, looking around blearily as she groaned.

Link watched, almost ready to break down as the Zora Princess finally sat up. She looked to be utterly exhausted despite just having woken up; however, she still attempted to climb to her feet.

The Hylian rushed forward as she faltered, nearly falling over. Before he could reach her, he was stopped by the egg-like Guardian scuttling in front of him and stamping a foot on the ground. It chirped angrily as it shook a leg at him.

Stepping around it, he looked back up to find Mipha’s eyes locked on him. A light frown creased her mouth as she looked at him, as though having a thought she couldn’t quite grasp. Ignoring the crack he felt developing in his chest, Link approached and offered her a hand.

The Zora Princess looked at the appendage for a moment, evidently confused as to its purpose. Locking eyes with him once again, she finally spoke a single word. “Link…?”

Hearing his name leave her lips broke the dam that held everything back. Taking her hand, he pulled in her in for a tight embrace, determined to never let go again.


	21. Day 21

“Thank you, Master Dento.”

“You are welcome, Lady Mipha,” the old Zora artisan replied. Dento returned his attention to the forge he was running.

Mipha eyed the bangle over, amazed at how quickly it had been recreated. Even though he was one of the most skilled blacksmiths in the kingdom, she had still assumed it would take him several more days at least to finish the new attachment. “As always, Dento, your work is most impressive.”

“Hmm?” he asked absently as he picked up a sword he had been working on just before she arrived. “I appreciate the compliment, Lady Mipha, but it was nothing more than a simple repair. It held up quite well considering from how far it fell.”

“I am sorry?”

“Your Hylian friend,” the old Zora answered as he ran an eye over the blade. “He brought it to me not long after you commissioned a replacement.” He stopped, eyeing her thoughtfully. “Aside from a few dents, the only real damage was to the turquoise stone embedded within. But he brought a replacement for that as well.”

“O-oh.” Mipha was shocked, to say the least. Why had he gone to such trouble in order to replace a piece of jewelry? “I had no idea.”

“He’s such a strange young man, even for a Hylian.”

The Zora Princess bristled slightly at his words, though she hid the true extent of her irritation. Dento had a habit of being blunt; however, it wasn’t meant maliciously. And, if she were to be honest, he did have a point. Link was incredibly adaptable, willing to try anything once, and rose to every challenge that came his way. He was, after all, the reason Shatterback Point had earned its name.

He was lucky that Mipha had caught wind of his plans and had been waiting for him in the reservoir below. He was also lucky that her healing powers were more effective than they had been a few years prior. It has still taken him a few weeks to completely recover, much to his irritation.

“Though, I will admit I understand why most speak well of him,” the artisan continued as he sat, taking a whetstone and running it along the blade’s edge.

“Oh?”

“He seems to be of the mind that he has to earn what he wants. When he brought the bangle to me, he immediately offered to help gather materials for me to pay for it." The master craftsman was silent for a moment. "He seems rather fond of you."

"No more than the rest of his friends, I'm sure," Mipha said a bit more quickly than she had intended. In recent years, Link's visits had become rarer as his duties kept him away from home for long periods of time. Still, she was conflicted about how he had chosen to spend his most recent visit. It was so very kind of him to spend what little time he had to rest restoring something she treasured; however, she would have much rather spent that time with him.

Dento looked up at her, studying her intently. She found that many of the elders had been watching her more of late, as though trying to see into her mind. She thought it may have been out of concern for her welfare until Muzu had made a comment concerning how little time was left before her white-scale was to come in. Then she understood what the true purpose of the looks was.

She said nothing, fighting to keep a perfectly composed expression.

"It's a shame." Dento returned his eyes to the blade, inspecting the edge with a sharp eye. "He was so insistent on having your tiara repaired that I was unable to put the finishing touches on the blade Sergeant Seggin commissioned for him before his departure."

"..."

"Then again, he'll have to travel on foot to the nearest stable," Dento mused as he took a wrap and began polishing the weapon. "I suppose I could have the sword finished here soon and have someone deliver it for me. Of course, if that someone were rather fond of the boy, they might be able to make a case before the king to allow for a little more time. Who knows, they may even be able to see Castle Town itself." Finished with the polishing, Dento gathered a few extra turquoise stones on his workbench. "Of course, such an individual would have to act fast, as I intend to send this off as soon as I've finished."

Mipha's mind was racing, searching for whatever excuse she could bring before her father that might buy her the most time.

"You'll have to forgive me, Lady Mipha," Dento said. "I did not mean to distract you from your obligations for so long."

"It is quite all right," Mipha said, not really following the conversation anymore. "If you will excuse me, Master Dento, there are a few matters I must bring before my father. Thank you again."

"You are most welcome."

Mipha had already left, making her way quickly to the throne room. If her very quick math was correct, she might be able to wiggle in a few extra hours with the Hylian Knight.

  
  



	22. Day 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think this can even be considered spoilery for AoC, but just in case, this is AoC based. Keep that in mind before reading

"You can either walk yourself back, or I can carry you."

"Hmph."

"The deal was that if you lost, you'd join us for dinner." It had been rather easy to trick the Rito archer into a duel. She had simply challenged him, stipulating that he had to remain on the ground and she, in turn, would not use her lightning. Knowing that she was a renowned swordswoman, Revali had scoffed, claiming that she feared his aerial superiority. All it had taken from there was reminding him that no amount of aerial superiority had saved anyone from lightning. Back at square one, the Rito had struggled for some come back until she had assured him that it was okay to chicken out.

Calling his bravery was the straw that had broken the camel’s back. With his reputation on the line, Revali had agreed to her terms.

And was quickly outmatched.

"Don't remind me."

"Then quit sulking."

The Rito Champion said nothing, simply glaring at her. Evidently, his ego was rather sensitive, though she hadn't needed to beat him in a duel to figure that out. It was written all over his attitude.

"..."

"Okay, spill it. What's the issue?"

"You really expect me to sit at a table with  _ him _ of all people?" 

"Link?" Urbosa asked. It was the worst kept secret among the group that the famed Rito archer had a vendetta against the Hylian knight. 

"Yes," the Rito nearly spat. 

"And why do you hate him?" It was a point of interest for her. Seeing as the Champions were meant to operate as a single unit, any disagreeable attitudes could harm their ability to work harmoniously. 

"Imagine, if you will, that you and your Ilk are defending your home and a boy playing at being a knight attacks your wingmates and is far rougher with them than he needs to be… How would you feel?" Revali asked as he folded his wings.

"I don't have to imagine."

"Come again?"

"I don't have to imagine," she repeated. "When Zelda came to see me about Naboris, a large skirmish broke out. The Yiga had infiltrated our ranks and were deceiving my warriors. Despite the Hylians' best efforts, many of my sisters were still hurt. Link was responsible for many of those injuries."

The Rito eyed her, sizing her up with a different gleam in his eye. "Then how can you stand to look at him?"

"Because I know what kind of man he could be," she answered.

"And what does that mean?"

"How many of your people did he kill?"

"... None."

"And have you watched him train or fight?"

"... Yes."

"Then you know it wouldn't have been difficult for him to kill many of your wingmates." In her many years, she had seen very few of Link’s ability. Revali, Daruk, and Mipha were the only ones that could even compare, aside from herself. Had the Hylian knight not chosen to hold back, then the casualties suffered would have been far greater.

"..."

"I suppose we could take it a step further: my warriors were ordered to kill him and Princess Zelda. Were your archers?"

"Dead or alive."

"Then it's safe to say that he put himself and the Princess in more danger by making the choice not to kill." Urbosa gave him a pointed glance, knowing that he was intelligent enough to catch what she wasn’t saying.

“How noble,” Revali grumbled dryly, holding his wings wide, “putting his life and reputation on the line.” The Rito sighed as he dropped his wings, staring off into the distance for a long moment. “How sure of him are you?”

“Enough to entrust him with the Princess’s life.”

“You two do seem rather close,” Revali noted quietly, more to himself. Again, his eyes drifted to the horizon thoughtfully before he folded his wings. “Hmm. Very well. I will give him another chance to prove himself. But -” he said sharply as he glared at her with a single eye “- if he fails, I’ll be holding you personally responsible.”

“How gracious.”

The Rito snorted as he crouched down, spreading his wings wide. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

He was stopped by a firm hand on his shoulder. “Master Revali,” Urbosa said as she leaned down with a fake grin, “have you perhaps forgotten you have prior obligations?” Oh, she had not chased him all the way out of the city, pinned him in a duel, and won simply so he could weasel his way out of it after he thought he’d distracted her.

“Hmm?” The Rito in question stared at her, too unnerved to hide his normally blusterous attitude. 

“You lost our duel,” she reminded him, maintaining the grin, “which means you will be joining us for dinner.”

“You’re still going on about that?”

Before he had a chance to say anything more, Urbosa reached down, clamping a hand around his beak. Giving him no chance to recover from the shock, she hauled him up and began dragging him back toward the city. “If you behave yourself, perhaps I will let go before anyone sees you in such a… endearing state.”


	23. Day 23

"So… this is how it ends." Mipha clung to her trident, using the weapon to support her weight. Soon after she had boarded her Divine Beast, Ruta had suffered some kind of attack. She was now incapable of piloting the beast, and some… beast of some kind had appeared, wielding a spear and a spiked ball of ice. Upon appearing it had frozen the control room over, forcing the Champion to battle in a debilitating cold. 

She had held out for as long as she could but her strength had all but failed her. Now…

This was it. The end of her journey.

There were so many things she wished she had done. She wished she had made up with Kodah, gone on more "adventures" with the Big Bad Bazz Brigade, told Muzu how much his mentorship and presence had come to mean, and wished she had given her father one last hug. Most of all, she wished she had stopped on her way to the Divine Beast to let her little brother know, one last time, that she loved him. He had grown up without a mother and now it looked like he would grow up without a sister as well.

"Sidon… I'm so sorry," she said as the monster drew back its spear.

As the spear lunged toward her, her thoughts turned toward one last regret. She had never made armor for Link. She had never even tried to explain to him how she felt. Now, as she watched death coming for her, she could only wish that she hadn’t wasted so much time. That she had tried harder to attend to the things that really mattered.

Her grip on her trident tightened as she tried to well up enough strength to retaliate. A bright flash enveloped everything as the spear descended on her. 

Perhaps the goddess had mercy on her and wouldn’t allow her to suffer an agonizing death.

A sharp clang resounded through the room as a frustrated screech clawed its way from the monster’s throat.

Mipha’s eyes finally adjusted, revealing a cloaked figure standing between her and the creature. She could only stare, dumbfounded as she saw the figure clutching the Master Sword in hand.

“...Link?”

At the sound of his name, the Hylian Champion looked over his shoulder. The face that peered beneath the hood had his blue eyes, but they lacked their usual luster and beneath them hung dark bags. The lines on his face had hardened and he was no longer clean-shaven, with stubble growing in uneven patches across his chin.

Link turned back as the monster advanced. Wordlessly, he reached down to his hip, pulling out a pink potion, and tossed it to her.

She had so many questions. Where had he come from? How had he reached her in time? Why did he look so much… older? Pushing them all aside, Mipha downed the restorative potion and prepared herself for another onslaught. Energy surged through her as the concoction took effect, allowing her to steady herself and finally lift her trident just in time for the creature’s next attack.

However, now, she had lost her fear. Though he wasn’t quite the Link she knew, his battle prowess had not diminished in the slightest. It was almost easy, as the Hylian Champion practiced his art, blocking, dodging, and striking where he could. Despite not having the range that the monster did, he still managed to close the gap and, with his glowing blade, dealt several damaging blows. Mipha, though distracted by the display of swordsmanship, didn’t allow Link to do all the work. Link bought her several opportunities to rush in and unleash a quick flurry of stabs with her weapon before retreating once again. Between the two of them, the monster couldn’t land a single hit.

What had once been a formidable foe was quickly laid to waste by the might of two Champions.

With an unholy scream, the being died in an explosion of malice. 

Mipha breathed a sigh of relief as the temperature began to rise, the ice beneath her feet melting into water. Ruta trumpeted triumphantly as Mipha reached out to it, immediately commanding it to resume attacking the nearby hordes of monsters. The Divine Beast acquiesced, allowing Mipha a moment alone with the man who had come to save her.

Turning to him, she found him gazing at her with a worrying mixture of pain, relief, and something she could not quite identify. Looking him over, her eyes widened as she finally noticed the armor he was wearing. It was made of blue and black scales, with pauldrons and vambraces made of Zora metal.

She had only ever seen the design once. It sat, nestled safely in her armoire within the royal family’s private quarters.

“Where did you…?”

Link looked down at his torso. “... You made it.” 

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.” A possible answer posed itself to her; however, it was impossible. Despite the rather drastic change in his appearance, there was no way he could have traveled through time.

“We… failed,” he said hoarsely as he took a slow step forward. Then another, and another, and suddenly his arms were wrapped around her in an almost painful embrace. She felt tears running down her shoulders.

“Tell me,” she said.

“We couldn’t stop it… you all…” his voice failed for a moment but only for a moment. “You all died…”

Mipha could only stare straight ahead, unable to process his words. They had died? It must have been true, seeing as he stood before her a very different man than the one she knew. At the same time, how was one supposed to wrap her head around the concept of traveling through time?

“I looked for a way to bring you back… but…” He fell silent again, simply holding her. Though she was incredibly confused, she was content to allow him to keep his silence. Mipha couldn’t possibly hope to understand what he had gone through and she accepted that. What she did understand was that she was needed at that moment.

So, she held him.

Finally, Link spoke again. “This was the best I could do.” Taking a deep breath, he let go and took a step back. “I’m sorry.”

Mipha looked at him once again, feeling her heart break as she saw the pain in his eyes. “You saved me this time,” she murmured as she set a hand on his cheek, “and you have given all of us hope.”

Link closed his eyes.

“Do you remember what you told me when you first left the Domain?”

“We’ll meet again someday.” He opened his eyes, watching her wistfully.

“And I know we will. If there is any mercy in this world, we will find each other again.”

For the first time since his appearance, a small bit of the luster she remembered returned to those beautiful blue eyes. He smiled, releasing a breath she hadn’t even known he’d been holding. 

Mipha smiled back, hoping to ease his pain for just a little longer. “This is what you call a beard, correct?”

“... Yeah,” he said with a chuckle. For a moment, his younger self returned as he ran a hand through his hair.

“I like it,” she said. “Do you… Do you suppose I can convince you to keep it?”

“I will.” 

Without warning, his body started glowing. Sorrow returned to his eyes as they both realized what this meant.

“It’s time for you to go, isn’t it?”

“Yeah…”

“Remember what I said,” said, sounding more like a plea than she had meant it to.

“I will.” And, just as quickly as he had appeared, he was gone, leaving Mipha alone within Ruta’s control room. Though there was so much to do, the Zora Champion couldn’t help but remain motionless, staring at where Link had disappeared. She pondered how close she had come to death, how an older, more worn Link had appeared (wearing the armor she had made for him no less), and what she was to do with such knowledge.

The sound of feet slapping against the surface of the water tore her from her musings. Looking up, she found Link was staring at her again; however, this time, it was her Link. As they watched each other silently, Mipha promised herself that she wouldn’t waste any more time. She would find the courage to present him with the armor and let everyone in her life know just how much she cared.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You better believe she's thinking about the beard.


	24. Day 24

Medli blinked as her husband joined her in the crowd. "I thought you were going to participate." 

"I was," Revali answered. "Then I saw our son was participating…" he cocked his head, sizing her up. "You didn't happen to know about that did, you?”

“I did,” she answered honestly. “He wanted to surprise you and asked me to keep quiet about it.”

“Heh…” he chuckled as he turned back, watching the skies. The competition would be starting any minute. “It was a surprise.” Her Champion wore a small, proud smile as he waited patiently for the archery competition to start. Komali had been planning to take part in the bi-centennial contest for a little over a year, as far as she knew. Their child, just like his father, had grown quite skilled with a bow, though he still had a ways to go before he would be able to match Revali.

“Are you sure you don’t want to compete?” It had been quite some time since the last time Revali had taken part in the contest. He had won in his adolescence; however, the Great Calamity had prevented him from competing in the following two events. With his return, it had been assumed that he would be taking part again and winning quite handily. As far as she was aware, her son hadn’t even been rumored to be taking part. Now, she could hear the quiet murmurs from the crowd around her as they gossiped about her husband’s presence with them.

“I’ve already won. Now, I want to see him have his chance in the spotlight.” Over the years, her husband had become far milder in terms of attitude, which was quite the blessing. He had always been kind to her but she had not been entirely unaware of his general behavior toward others. It was a blessing to see him so interested in the success of another, especially when that other was their child.

She leaned in, nuzzling him just a bit as she set her head on his shoulder. A low, satisfied trill sounded from beside her.

“Do you know what he plans to ask for if he wins?”

“He wasn’t sure,” Medli murmured, suddenly fighting the urge to sleep. Leaning against him as such always made her think of the days after she had laid Komali’s egg. The bitter cold at the time kept her at home and very close to her nest. During that time, it wasn’t unusual for her husband to slip in next to her after a long day. She had particularly fond memories of those days, as they would lay side by side for hours, simply talking and enjoying each other’s company. Those were the days when she had really gotten to know him. “I think he was leaning toward a music studio.”

“I’m glad. He would be quite good at it.”

“I think so too. Did you hear his and Kass’s last practice session?”

“I did. He definitely takes after you,” Revali replied warmly. “I hope it’s a place for all of you to continue practicing.”

“He takes after you too.” Medli finally straightened, worried that she would miss something if she continued leaning into him. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone else as determined as the two of you.”

Looking over, she found him still watching the starting line intently. If he hadn’t just been talking to her, she might have thought nothing else existed. After a few seconds, he tore his gaze away long enough to look at her. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” she answered with a small shake of her head. “I just like seeing you so excited for him.”

“...” Her Champion turned back to the starting line, gazing just as he had moments prior. “... I wish his grandfather was here.”

“Oh?” Medli asked, suddenly very wary of the potential turbulence that could arise in the conversation. Revali had always been touchy about his own parents and could be quick to shut down if they were ever brought up in conversation. It didn’t help that he had learned of them coming back to find him during his time serving as Medoh’s pilot. Much of his hurt and anger was gone but she had learned to be careful to not say too much when they came up.

“I just think Daruk would be proud of him,” Revali answered.

Medli breathed a sigh of relief before agreeing heartily. “Oh, yes he would!” she paused for a moment before adding quietly “And he’d be proud of you too.” She had come to discover that Daruk and Urbosa both had come to fill the void his parents had left, even if the words he chose didn’t always reflect it.

“... I hope so.” No more words were exchanged between the two, even when they noticed Teba and Saki standing a short way off. They merely exchanged a glance with their friends, neither needing to explain to the other why Teba was watching as intently as Revali. The white-feathered Rito had not been shy about sharing that his own son would be participating.

Eventually, the start of the contest was announced, with Medli exclaiming excitedly as she watched her child take flight with bow in hand. Though her husband said nothing, she could feel the pride radiating from him as he watched Komali soar. If she were being totally honest, she truly didn’t care whether he won or not. She was merely content to watch him strive to be the best he possibly could, just like his father.


	25. Day 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short and sweet. It's okay though, as it gives me more time to work on Valentine's stuff

“I can still hear you two,” Urbosa called as she set her mug down with a clack. As she expected, the two children hushed up immediately.

“Is it really that big a deal?” Daruk asked quietly with a frown. “I mean, aren’t ya glad they’re finally gettin’ along?”

“Of course,” Urbosa replied just as quietly, hoping that Link’s hypersensitive ears wouldn’t pick up her voice. “But they’re still supposed to be sleeping.” Upon taking Revali in, the Rito child had taken an instant disliking to Link for some reason. It had caused quite a lot of tension as Mipha and Zelda had tried to bridge the gap. Of course, it was a struggle for the young Zora as she had a history with Link and was often quite upset when they fought. Zelda, on the other hand, was a bit more levelheaded but didn’t have anywhere near the social awareness needed to effectively diffuse the tension.

This had been an issue for the group, children and adults alike, until recently. Revali, having gotten angry over something or another, had flown away. Link, who had been struggling with guilt over the matter as well as fearing for his safety, had given chase. Mipha, who had a lot of experience with the Hylian boy’s habit of getting in trouble, had gone with Link. Leaving Zelda to be the only one to let their guardians know.

By the time they had found them, Link was trying to distract a monster while Mipha tried to help an injured Revali escape.

Though Daruk and Urbosa had stepped in and handled the situation easily, the danger he’d been in had not been lost on the Rito child. Link, for his part, had apologized for what he had said to upset Revali. Not long after, the Rito child had truly joined the inseparable group of children.

“And you’re not gonna say anything to Mipha and Zelda?”

“Nope,” the Gerudo replied. “I can’t hear them.”

Daruk opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out as a thoughtful expression crossed his face. “I suppose ya got a point.”

Again, they heard another bout of quiet giggling.

“Oh, for the love of -” Urbosa muttered as she set her tea down again. “If I hear you two again, I am coming up there and knocking your heads together!”

Again, the two boys fell silent.

Daruk started chuckling, trying to stay as quiet as possible. It wasn’t long before Urbosa joined in.

“Reminds me of my old man,” Daruk rumbled with a nostalgic grin. “Me and my brothers would stay up late messin’ around until he came in and put the fear of a queen Dodongo in us.”

“Zelda’s mother and I did the same thing,” the Gerudo said wistfully. “We’d stay up late and try not to talk too loudly. It got so bad at one point that we had to listen for our parents and pretend to be asleep when they checked in on us.”

“Heh.”

Both adults sighed as they heard Revali remarking on something yet again. “Would you like to go up there, or should I?”

“Together?” Daruk offered.

“My thoughts exactly,” Urbosa replied with a rueful grin.

Both adults stood and made their way up to the bedroom above.


	26. Day 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ees sad one today

_ "I know we will see each other again, someday." _

_ Sidon said nothing, fighting to keep his smile as his older sister smiled up at him with all of the grace and care in the world. He wondered if any of the others from the fallen timeline were experiencing his grief over the impending parting. _

_ From the sounds of it, they didn’t understand how he felt. _

_ Daruk and Yunobo were giving each other one last fist-bump, while Urbosa and Riju took one last opportunity to express their pride in the other. Teba and Revali were… civil, though that was the extent of it. The haughty Rito Champion and the mildly irritable archer had gotten along, but it was no secret that there were certain topics they simply couldn’t discuss. _

_ He shouldn’t have been surprised, after all, they had been summoned to help defeat the Calamity as far as he could tell. With that quest finished, there was no longer any reason for them to remain in the past. Well, new past. _

_ Returning his attention to his sister, he knelt down, taking one last chance to embrace her as the light surrounding him intensified. “I hope you have courage to live your dreams, dear sister.” How he had not yet choked around the lump in his throat was beyond him. “And please… don’t forget about me.” It was an incredibly selfish request, especially after he had been gifted with the opportunity to save her. Even so, he could only bring himself to care only so much. _

_ “Never, sweet Sidon. I will always remember this time we shared together.” _

As luck would have it, the Zora Prince had been sent back to the courtyard. Thankfully, it was in the middle of the night, when most others had already turned in. As such, Sidon only had to make a few passing remarks on his ways to his private quarters. It was still one the most difficult treks he had ever made. Trying to fake a smile and pleasant greetings while his eyes burned and a lump sat stubbornly in his throat was something he had been trained to do for years. And it still took everything he had.

Eventually, though, he made it to his room. No sooner than reaching his bedside, he sunk to his knees, his head falling to his mattress as he finally let out all of the pent up sorrow he felt. He did his best to keep his sobs silent, lest the guards try to help. 

Though he had often imagined scenarios in which he had the chance to see his sister again, nothing had prepared him for the opportunity. He was beyond grateful that he had not only gotten to see her in the flesh again, see her smile, and experience the genuine love and affection he remembered from his childhood.

So why was he crying? Shouldn’t he be overjoyed?

Perhaps there were things he hadn’t dealt with from his childhood. He had no memories of his mother, only Mipha and his father. Seeing as his father was always so busy attending to the matters of the Domain, Mipha had been the one with whom he had spent his childhood. She had taught him so many of his lessons, healed him when he was hurt, and encouraged him when he needed it. She had been a rock in his life. Always there, always smiling, and always ready with a kind word.

And then, without warning, she was torn away, leaving him alone. Yes, Muzu and his father had been there. But neither of them were his older sister.

He hadn’t even had the chance to tell her goodbye. 

Seeing her again, and getting the chance to understand her better was such a precious gift, but it had come at a price. That being the reopened wounds of his younger years. Wounds that had never had a chance to heal for anyone.

He wasn’t one to often question fate but this time, he did.

Why? Why did he have to lose her yet again?

As he continued expressing his pain, fighting to keep his sobs quiet, he felt a gentle hand placed on his shoulder.

“Sweet Sidon, why do you cry?”

  
  



	27. Day 27

Mipha stood in the entrance to her rooms, watching with a smile as Link sat beside the shallow pool. The former Hylian knight would spend much of his free time at the water's edge, watching the young tadpole within. Occasionally, he would dip a finger below the surface, a silent smile on his face as the tadpole chased it around. At other times, he would hold his hand above the surface and wait. Eventually, the tadpole would notice and leap up in an attempt to attack it.

When he wasn't actively playing with the infant Zora, Link would simply sit and watch her.

She often did the same.

To his side lay Midna. The wolf would occasionally raise her head to check on the two before yawning and resting her head again. Before Mipha had even known that she was pregnant, the wolf had become far more… protective of her. Muzu had been growled a number of times simply for taking the wrong tone with her. Once the young mother had laid the egg, Midna had stayed nearby at almost all times, ensuring the child's protection. For the longest time, Mipha had been the only one allowed to attend to her tadpole's needs, much to her amusement. Eventually, Link was allowed to partake, though Midna kept a close eye on him the entire time.

As she watched, little Alolu jumped out of the water and landed beside the pool. Link and Alolu both watched attentively as she flopped around for a moment, trying to use her developing limbs to move around. After a few seconds, she gave up, and Link reached over, grabbed the tadpole and placed her back in the water.

The first time they had found her like that had shaken Link up a fair amount. He had been rather frightened that she had gotten hurt or would suffer permanent damage from the experience. It had taken Mipha some time to help him understand that it was a natural process for Zora. Such experiences helped to develop strength and helped their young bodies adapt to environmental changes faster. Once he understood, Link had relaxed, though he was still very attentive whenever Alolu left the pool.

"How is she?" Mipha asked as she finally entered the room.

Link looked up with a smile, nodding in response to her question.

She looked down at her daughter as she rounded the pool. Pausing for a moment, she watched carefully as she became convinced that Alolu’s scales and fins were starting to tint with the barest shades of red and yellow. It was amazing how quickly she was growing.

Kneeling behind Link, she slipped an arm under his cranial fin as she embraced him, setting her chin on his shoulder.

The golden Zora placed a hand atop hers, stroking it with a thumb as he watched Alolu explore her little domain.

While Mipha had been worried about keeping the tadpole in her room, she was glad that they had ultimately decided to do so. The common nurseries were filled with other children and parents, at times so occupied that tadpoles had to share pools. Parents and family also filled the hall, sometimes causing stress on the poor, developing Zora. Not only that but the fanfare that had arisen once her pregnancy was announced… 

Well, she was certain that Muzu and Seggin would have been far from Alolu’s only visitors and she was unwilling to expose her child to undue stress.

Thankfully, their rooms were close to the throne room, allowing her to easily transport her daughter so that her grandfather might see her. It didn’t occur often but she was glad for the short journey every time.

Despite how difficult it could be to handle many of the stresses of parenthood (most of which ironically came from unrelated adults), Mipha could take comfort in the fact that her daughter would not want for love. Seggin and Muzu were already eagerly planning how best to pass their knowledge on to her, she was already endeared to her grandfather, Midna was intent on watching over her, and her normally stoic father seemed incapable of hiding his love for her for even a moment.

No, she would grow up with an abundance of affection. And that was something that put her heart at ease. 

Mipha sat, watching the tadpole swim around for some time before finally turning to her husband. “Would you like to join me for dinner?” For the first time in a long time, the young mother thought her husband, who loved few things more than a good meal, might actually turn her down.

How was she supposed to take that?


	28. Day 28

“I don’t get it,” Teba muttered irritably. 

“You’re thinking too much,” Revali replied, surprisingly calm. “Don’t think so much about how to create the gale. Focus on the feeling of the wind in your feathers, how the air carries you upward faster than you ever thought possible.”

Rolling his eyes, Teba flapped again, feeling himself lift off slightly but otherwise unsuccessful yet again.

“I didn’t expect you to give up so quickly,” his old master said cooly.

The white-feathered Rito was silent for a moment. “I’m surprised you would be teaching me this technique. I’d assumed you would make me figure it out on my own.”

“I always meant to teach you.” Revali sounded oddly… proud. “You were my only student and, in my youth, I hadn’t exactly planned on having chicks of my own.”

Teba merely raised a brow, deciding against reminding the Champion that he was still considered a youth by their people. And that he, his former pupil, was now substantially older than his former master. Then again, even though he now stood head and shoulders over Revali, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of deference toward the navy-feathered Rito. 

And, Revali was still the superior archer. The gap that had existed in Teba’s youth had shrunk considerably since his teacher’s disappearance but it still existed. And, seeing as he wanted his child to surpass not only himself but Revali as well, it only made sense to resume his training.

Even so, he often found himself experiencing a strange mix of amusement and annoyance with a fair amount of awkwardness sprinkled in. The Rito Champion was still regaining memories and trying to redefine his place, both in the village and in the lives of those he had left behind. Teba, on the other hand, found himself struggling between following his master around as he had as a child and remaining his own man, stubborn one that he was. Thankfully, Saki and Tulin were present to help keep him grounded and remind him of his life without Revali. 

Of course, it also helped that Revali was not only a different person than he remembered but had a wife and child of his own to attend to, along with his new responsibilities as a flight instructor. Though it was a slow process, they were learning to be friends rather than master and apprentice. Granted, Teba did still show up for their private training sessions and Revali demanded the utmost respect during that time, even if he was a bit more relaxed than in their younger years.

“So, what? I was meant to carry on your legacy?” Teba asked with a chuckle. That couldn’t possibly be what he had meant but it was an amusing thought.

And one that appealed to him as well. He was not shy about this desire to surpass his former master and become a revered warrior in his own right. Still, it was considered an honor in any culture when one was given the responsibility of carrying the legacy, especially when that someone had attained the status the Rito Champion had.

“Yes.”

Teba did a double-take as Revali folded his wings behind his back and walked along the edge of the clearing.

“That’s why I intended to teach you to make use of my Gale. So that you could carry my legacy properly and…” he stopped, holding a wing towards Teba as he glared at him steadfastly. “So that you may one day surpass me.”

Teba stared, dumbfounded. After a moment, he let out a small chuckle that eventually evolved into a hearty laugh. It seemed that, even with a more calm and collected demeanor, he still enjoyed indulging in theatrics every now and again.

“I don’t believe I said anything funny,” Revali snapped hotly.

“Very well,” Teba replied with a competitive sneer. “I’ll master your Gale, then surpass you,  _ Master _ .”

It was Revali’s turn for a laugh. “You didn’t think it would be so simple as mastering the Gale, did you? I’m already developing new techniques that will make the Gale look like child’s play.”

Teba’s eye twitched at the news. He knew all too well that his former master, for all of his gusto, only made such statements when he was ready to back the claim. It seemed the gap between them was larger than he thought.

His eyes narrowed as the Rito Champion smirked. Evidently, Revali had noticed his irritation at being left behind yet again.

“I may let you help me further develop these skills,” the Champion stated with a shrug, “assuming you can master the Gale before I finish them.”

“Fine,” Teba growled. “Let’s get back to work.”


	29. Day 29

“So, are you going to lecture me as well?” Revali asked as his fellow Champion tended to his wounds.

“No,” she replied simply.

He frowned at how short her response was. Though he feigned disinterest in his allies, he did pay close attention to them all. From what he had noticed, Mipha was often quiet; however, when the right topic came up, she was quite easy to engage in conversation. He had even noticed that she could be particularly animated. Not only could she be engaged in conversation but she could also ease others into conversation as well. Somehow, Mipha could even convince Link to speak with her.

Though he refused to acknowledge it aloud, it stung that he seemed the only person she had little care to speak with. As was her nature, she took care of his physical ailments as readily as she did everyone else’s. Outside of that, she kept her interactions with him to a minimum.

He couldn’t help but wonder if he had done something to offend her, though he couldn’t imagine what it was that he could have done.

It was… frustrating, to say the least. Being the one at the top was quite lonely and becoming one of the Champions was the first time that he had met those who he could consider his equals. And now, perhaps the greatest spearwoman in Hyrule could barely stand to speak to him.

What could he have possibly done?

“I know it’s dangerous to take a Hinox on alone,” he said, hoping to stave off another awkward healing session, “but none of the soldiers were capable of handling it. And, loathe as I am to admit it, we did need their help driving the Yiga out of the city.”

“You did well to help the garrison.”

Unimpressed wasn’t the right word and neither was apathy. It was almost as though she were speaking out of a feeling of obligation rather than a genuine desire to respond.

“...”

“...”

“...” Eventually, the silence was a bit too much for the Rito Champion to handle. “Have I done something to upset you?”

Mipha paused, her eyes finally rising from his side to meet his. He almost forgot his question when he noticed the faint bags under her eyes. It occurred to him that she had likely been awake and making use of her powers since the Yiga had been routed.

Even so, he chose not to say anything about it. At least not now, when she had no interest in speaking with him sincerely anyway. “I know you aren’t the most… outspoken individual but even I can see that you avoid speaking to me.”

The Zora Champion’s eyes dropped back to his side. Revali almost wondered if the question itself had offended her; however, before he could try to diffuse the tension, she finally spoke. “I do not care for the way you treat my friend.”

“Your friend? You don’t mean that-” he almost recoiled as her eyes flashed daggers at him, “- Link.”

“I do.”

“...”

“I understand that you have some hard feelings about what happened at the Village but that is no excuse to treat him the way you do.”

Revali bit back his instinctive response. Taking a moment to collect himself, he chose to proceed delicately. As much disdain as he felt for the boy, he was finally exchanging more than a few words with the Zora Champion, terse as they were. “I take it you two have some sort of history.”

“We grew up together,” she replied shortly. “My father also appointed him as my personal knight when I was named Ruta’s pilot.”

“I… see,” he replied, doing his best to avoid angering her again. Those normally soft eyes were almost frightening when they hardened. “Your father must think highly of him, to entrust your care to him.”

“He does,” Mipha answered, her tone softening a bit. “Link has always worked hard to develop as a warrior and he has done much for our people. Defeating the Lynel was all the proof my father needed that he could protect me.”

“He what?”

“He defeated a red-maned Lynel,” she repeated, casting him a pointed glance. “Just like a Hinox, besting one is no easy feat.”

“I suppose that’s true.” What he didn’t say was that he found it difficult to believe. Not just because it was Link, but because it was Lynel. He wasn’t sure that even he could down one with all of his skill.

“I understand that you may not care for him,” Mipha continued, ignoring his disbelief, “and that is fine. What I will not tolerate is disrespect toward someone who has done so much for my people, my family, and myself and has been a true friend to me.”

“I…” Revali closed his beak, thinking of how best to respond. Nothing that she had said really changed his opinion on Link. He had never contested that the boy didn’t have skill, just that he didn’t really belong among a group of elite warriors, though he supposed there was no helping it. Even if the knowledge that he had killed a Lynel was a bit hard to swallow, he was still Mipha’s appointed knight. Whether he liked it or not, Link was there to stay. Even if it irked him, it fell to him to be the adult and make peace with it. If nothing else, at least it might help to improve the camaraderie between a fellow Champion and himself. “I understand.”

A few more moments of awkward silence followed before Mipha retracted her hand and stood. “A bit more rest and you should be good as new.”

“Thanks.”

With a nod, Mipha turned away and made her way toward the entrance, where Revali finally noticed Link waiting.

“One more thing,” he called out on a whim, “you should start taking care of yourself more.” He then gestured to Link. “And you… make sure she actually does.”

The Hylian nodded, while Mipha simply looked at him, an unreadable expression on her face. She made no attempt to respond as she turned away and left him to his thoughts.


	30. Day 30

“I hope I’m not intruding,” Urbosa said as she and Zelda entered the guest quarters that Mipha was staying in.

“Not at all,” Mipha replied warmly. “It’s a pleasure to finally be able to speak with you, Lady Urbosa. You as well, Lady Impa.”

“Just Impa,” the Sheikah warrior corrected politely.

Mipha nodded gracefully before turning to Zelda and bowing her head in respect. “Princess.”

“Please, Lady Mipha, I do not think such formalities are required in private.”

“Yes, of course.” The Zora royal was relieved to hear it. Though she should have been quite used to the formalities recognized by royals, dignitaries, and the like, Mipha still found them rather exhausting. It also helped set her at ease, seeing as her whole purpose in inviting her fellow princess had been to forge some kind of connection to her. They had seen each other on occasion over the years but only in passing when their fathers met over political discourse. This would be their first casual discussion.

And Mipha knew very little about her Hylian counterpart. Thankfully, Link had spent considerable time around Zelda and had learned a thing or two about her. He had suggested that should her attempts at conversation fail, she could resort to showing Zelda the piece of Sheikah tech she had found.

“Please, take a seat,” the Zora Princess said, gesturing to the table. “Link will return soon with some tea.”

“And a stiff drink, I hope,” the Gerudo Chieftain chuckled as she sat down.

“Urbosa!”

“What?” the elder woman asked nonchalantly. 

“It is barely midday.”

“And guarding you is a stressful task, no?” Urbosa raised a brow as she eyed the Hylian Princess.

Zelda opened her mouth to respond; however, she shut it a moment later, having said nothing.

“Oh, relax, Little Bird. You know as well as I do that I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Yes, I suppose you are right.” Zelda smiled brightly as Urbosa laughed. 

Mipha watched, feeling remarkably less tense as she watched the light bit of banter. She had witnessed a rather demure side to the Hylian Princess. Seeing a smile was a pleasant change and eased her concerns of a tense or otherwise uncomfortable conversation. 

Eyes drifting toward her third guest, the Zora became uncertain of how to accommodate Impa. From what she had seen, the Sheikah warrior was much like Link in that both put their duty above all else. As such, Impa stood a few feet behind Zelda, close enough to intervene should her charge be threatened but far enough away that the Princess hopefully wouldn’t feel smothered. 

This wasn’t a problem per se, though Mipha had intended to invite her own guard to join them once he returned; however, now she was worried that such an invitation might inadvertently reflect poorly on Zelda.

“Is something wrong, Mipha?” Urbosa was eyeing her carefully as though trying to read her thoughts.

“Not at all,” the Zora replied smoothly.

Urbosa silently called her bluff. Nudging Zelda, she gestured to an empty chair at the rounded table. “Hmm? Oh! Impa, please join us.”

“I’m not sure -”

“You have been working harder than anyone else. I think you deserve a moment’s rest more than anyone else.”

“She has a point,” the Gerudo agreed casually. “You can’t go on as you have forever. How can you hope to attend the Princess if you collapse.”

“... I suppose a few minutes wouldn’t hurt.” 

A light rapping sounded from the other side of the door as Impa took her seat.

“Come in,” Mipha called.

Quiet as ever, Link entered, followed quickly by a number of servants carrying trays of food.

“What is this?” She was well aware of Link’s love for anything edible, though she hadn’t expected him to rope others into bringing what appeared to be a rather large meal. At most, the Zora had assumed he would bring a small snack to munch on while she and her guests conversed.

“A gift from King Rhoam,” one of the servants responded as they arranged a variety of dishes across the table. One even had a tea set and was pouring tea for everyone seated. “He had heard that you were entertaining the Princess and also wanted to express his gratitude for doing your part to protect the kingdom.”

“How kind. May I ask you to carry my thanks to him?”

“With pleasure. We will send a servant by later to help with any cleaning.” With their task completed, for the time being, the servants retreated in an orderly fashion. 

Motioning for Link to take the empty seat beside her, Mipha returned her attention to her guests. “I was not aware that this was customary for visitors. Your father is quite generous.”

“Yes… he is.” Zelda’s expression had fallen considerably at the mention of the King of Hyrule.

“... I think he may also have caught wind of the fact that Zelda here skipped lunch in order to focus on her training,” Urbosa said, a slight frown dampening her own expression.

Anxiety was starting to build within the Zora as she considered her guests. It seemed that she had inadvertently touched a nerve and the atmosphere had suffered for it. Thinking quickly, she tried to steer the conversation in a more pleasant direction. “If I may, you two seem quite close. May I ask how that came to be?”

“The late queen was a dear friend,” Urbosa replied with a wistful smile. “I promised her that if anything were ever to happen to her, I would do my best to look after Zelda.” The Gerudo looked at Zelda with the same fond smile. “She definitely keeps me on my toes.”

“Perhaps it would not be so easy to sneak away if you weren’t busy flirting with the guards,” Zelda countered defensively.

“Little Bird, it’s like you never listen when I try to teach you of my people’s customs.”

“Oh, I have learned plenty. For starters…”

Mipha held in her laughter as she watched the two exchange light, well-meaning jabs. She sent a brief glance toward Link, smiling as the dour mood faded into memory. Her Hylian friend gave her a wink, something that did not go unnoticed.

“What was that?” Urbosa asked, immediately ending the banter she and Zelda had been engaged in.

Link said nothing.

“I’m fairly certain I just saw you wink at her.”

“I saw it too,” Impa confirmed.

“I didn’t see it. Do it again.”

Link remained silent, his face as blank as ever.

“Very well,” the Gerudo relented, “if you won’t admit to it, then perhaps you two will at least tell us how you came to be so well acquainted.”

“I was wondering about that myself. It is… rather unusual for a Hylian to be welcomed among the Zora Royal Guard.”

“Well…” Mipha replied, self-consciousness rearing up inside her. She exchanged another glance with Link, eliciting a nervous giggle from her. There was no reason for her to feel that way; however… things were now rather complicated between the two of them. It certainly didn’t help that he attended her at nearly all hours of the day. “We met when we were both rather young…”


	31. Day 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dawn of the final day...

"Draw four." 

"How, in the name of -"

"Would you change it to green, please?" Mipha asked innocently.

"You can't just-"

"Green."

"My, she really does have you wrapped around her finger, doesn't she?" Urbosa smirked as she drew a card. 

"Gotta say, Little Guy, you could take it easier on Revali.”

“What color do you need, Revali?”

“I don’t want you to…” The Rito trailed off, looking genuinely confused as to how he was supposed to politely decline the offer.

“That’s very sweet of you, Medli,” Urbosa responded with a warm smile. “If the offer is still open, yellow would be wonderful.”

“Umm…”

Zelda watched all of this from over her hand, a sad smile marring her features. Despite all that had happened, the last month had been one of the greatest joys she could recall in a long time. The Champions had spent it with her, recovering from their long journey within the rooms that had survived the Calamity. Though they had each taken turns to help begin the process of restoration, Zelda had not once allowed them to contribute more than a few hours a day. She knew that they had needed rest as badly as she had. 

“Little Bird, it’s your turn.”

“Ah, of course.” The Princess played a card from her hand, only paying enough attention to make sure it was a viable card.

“Is everything all right, Princess?”

Everyone was no longer paying attention to their game, with all eyes focused on her. “Yes.”

Urbosa collapsed her cards, setting them face down as she leaned forward and gazed at her intently. Behind her, Daruk was stroking his beard while the two couples watched silently, their eyes flicking between the two eldest Champions and Zelda.

Knowing that she was now cornered, Zelda set her own cards down and folded her hands on the table. “For months, we traveled Hyrule together, learning and growing as we tried to prevent Hyrule’s destruction. I watched over you all while you slept in the Shrine of Resurrection and I was with you while you reclaimed the Divine Beasts… and now…” The Princess of Hyrule took a moment to collect herself. Though she was among friends and none of them would allow this conversation to leave the room, she still felt the need to remain as strong as possible.

Perhaps she was more like her father than she thought.

“And now, it’s over,” she said hollowly. “Tomorrow, we will each be heading our separate ways and who can say when we will have the opportunity to meet like this again.”

No one said anything as they all exchanged glances among themselves. Silent conversations happened all around her, with tilted heads, frowns, a snort or two, and finally, determined nods.

“I suppose now is the best time to tell you that Daruk and I will be staying here,” Urbosa stated as she sat back in her chair. “If we were to return to our homelands, it would only cause confusion and tension. Besides, it would probably be good for our peoples to have representatives here with the future queen.”

“Yeah. Besides, rebuildin’ is too much fer one person to handle, even fer someone as strong as ya.”

“Thank you…” She had been completely unaware of the elder Champions’ decision but she was grateful beyond what words could express. She had expected them to return to their homelands to see to their own people first.

“If I may,” Mipha said, drawing attention to herself and Link. “Link and I… well… we have decided that it may be best if I were to abdicate the throne.” The Hylian Champion watched the Zora Princess silently. Mipha took a deep breath before continuing. “We will be returning to the Domain, but I believe my father will have us act as ambassadors to the rest of Hyrule. That was to be Sidon’s role originally but with everything that has happened, this may be the most appropriate course of action.”

Revali leaned back folding his wings as he looked at her with a single eye. “You didn’t forget that we can fly, did you?”

“No,” Zelda chuckled lightly. “I don’t think you would ever let anyone forget.”

The Rito Champion snorted. “Of course not. We plan to return to the Rito Village but I suppose it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle to visit from time to time to check on you. Heaven knows the rest of you can barely look after yourself.”

“Didn’t you get shot down by the Divine Beast you were supposed to pilot, Feathers?”

He glared daggers at the Gerudo, who snickered quietly before turning back to Zelda. “Little Bird, tomorrow will be a goodbye but know that it won’t be forever. Even if we’re not all together, remember that we’ll be here for you whenever you need us.”

All of her friends nodded resolutely.

“Thank you… all of you.”

“Of course. Now, let’s enjoy these last few hours and leave our goodbyes until the morning.”

“You are right, as always.”

Urbosa smiled as she picked her cards back up. “Now, where were we?”

“It was my turn,” Medli answered.

“Oh, right. You were just about to change the color to yellow if memory serves.”

“Red would be better,” Revali grumbled. 

“Oh, hush up, Feathers. We both know you’ll be drawing four cards again in a few seconds.”

Revali growled something under his breath as Link smiled wolfishly at him.

Zelda smiled, feeling a bit better about the whole thing. Yes, this was goodbye but only for a moment. They would all be back together soon enough, ready to pick up where they had left off, just as they had done after finally defeating Ganon.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, this was supposed to be Revali mastering his gale. Instead, you got Rituno. No complaints


End file.
